


At a glance

by eatyourveggies



Series: On solid grounds [2]
Category: La casa de papel | Money Heist (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:47:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 58,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27815545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eatyourveggies/pseuds/eatyourveggies
Summary: This is a shameless attempt at bringing some joy in these challenging times. Each chapter offers a short glimpse into the lives of the Marquina-Murillos in Palawan.  No angst, no plot, just fluff.It’s set in the universe of On solid grounds. You don’t need to have read it first, though it might give you some context. These snippets are set after the last chapter of On solid grounds, but before the epilogue.I hope you enjoy them!
Relationships: Professor | Sergio Marquina & Paula Vicuña, Raquel Murillo/Paula Vicuña, Raquel Murillo/Professor | Sergio Marquina
Series: On solid grounds [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2035297
Comments: 398
Kudos: 576





	1. Stating the obvious

Moving the last of her clothes into her and Sergio’s bedroom, Raquel looked around the room. Her mother was out for a walk with her nurse while Paula and Sergio were working on a solar system project in the sitting room, and finally having a moment to herself, Raquel tried taking it all in.

She never thought she could have this. In her darkest times, before she left Madrid convinced that she and Sergio were well and truly over, she hadn’t allowed herself to even dream of the life she currently had. That she would be in a committed, loving relationship with a man she adored and trusted completely with her heart, and with her family. That her daughter would be safe, her mother would be with them, taken care off and doing as well as she could under the circumstances, and through it all, that she and Sergio would be together, no lies left between them. 

It struck her that she’d never told him she loved him. It was so obvious that she did, that they loved each other, that it had never seemed necessary to voice. Not after everything they’d gone through. It was plainly present in every touch, every look, every kiss, every late-night confession whispered. 

She knew she loved him, had known for a long time. And she knew without a doubt that he loved her too.

Their relationship had always moved at an intense speed, an insane speed. It had taken them all of five days to fall for one another and throw caution to the wind. Her risking her career and reputation, him risking the event he had worked towards his entire adult life. Circumstances had predictably torn them apart, but Sergio had taken matters into his own hands and re-entered her life the day he showed up at her doorstep in Madrid. She didn’t believe in fate, not really, and wasn’t prone to sentimentality, but she couldn’t help feeling she and Sergio were meant for one another. 

In the nearly two weeks that they shared once Sergio joined her in Madrid, they got to know each other, and through the fights, laughs and exchanges that followed, the foundation for what they now shared had been built. And ever since she and Paula joined him in Palawan, they finally moved at a slower pace. 

For the first time, they go to truly discover each other, what makes the other happy, annoyed, sad, excited, and everything in between, but more importantly, to simply be with one another. Raquel revelled in getting to know Sergio, in gradually unravelling the mystery that he had once been to her, coaxing stories, thoughts and emotions out of a man unused to sharing his life with anyone. 

They’d begun building their joint lives in Palawan a little over three months prior and at last the lies that had permeated and nearly ended their relationship no longer sent a pang through her heart, nor any shiver of doubt through her veins. 

Suddenly overcome with a need to convey to him how she felt, Raquel left the last of her clothes in a pile on the bed and headed to the sitting room. She found her people on the floor, with Sergio ripping newspaper into shreds, and Paula dipping them in paste before carefully laying them onto a balloon, then smoothing out the creases and bumps. Each fully focused on their tasks, they seemingly didn’t notice her approach.

Raquel came up behind Sergio, crouched down and in his ear for the first time whispered the words that were undeniable, “I love you.”

She caught the smile spreading on his face as she kissed his cheek, her hand resting on his shoulder for balance. She stood again and headed back to continue unpacking. She didn’t notice him following her, nor heard him enter their bedroom, but she soon felt his eyes on her.

She shot him an amused look as she was putting a dress on a hanger, “You’re staring.”

He shifted unsurely, clearing his throat. “I have something to say.”

Suspecting what he had on his mind, and that it wouldn’t be easy for him to convey, she kept her focus on her clothes, “So say it.”

“You won’t slap me this time?”

She laughed lightly and winked at him, “Only one way to find out.”

He cleared his throat, “I… I love you too Raquel.”

She considered him softly, left the top she had in hand on the bed, and bridged the distance between them. She smiled, her hand coming up to graze his beard. “I know.”

She leaned in and kissed his upper lip, letting her tongue briefly graze it. She kept her eyes on him as she did and if she’d ever had any doubt that his words were true, his eyes reflected not only their sincerity, strength and veracity, but also the depths of his feelings for her. This wasn’t just love, it was something deeper, truer, fuller.

They were interrupted by a loud pop, followed by Paula’s shouting. “Sergio! Another balloon popped!”

He laughed, framed Raquel’s face and pulled her in for a proper kiss before releasing her. “I have to go, the solar system is calling.”

She nodded and smacked his ass as he walked away, earning her a chuckle from the man who was undoubtedly the love of her life.


	2. Baby-fever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, thank you so much for reading and leaving kudos on the first chapter <3 I actually feared I was ruining a story people enjoyed so this really means a lot!
> 
> And all you wonderful people who left such lovely comments, I cannot thank you enough! Can’t answer all of them since I’m focusing on writing this, and another story, but I’ve read them all and they go straight to my heart. THANK YOU! <3

“Sergio, can we have a baby?”

Sergio nearly choked. This was not a conversation he’d expected first thing in the morning. He cleared his throat, praying he had misheard, “I’m sorry Paula, what did you say?”

“I said can we have a baby.”

Nope, no such luck, he’d heard her perfectly the first time. At a loss for word, he just stared at the girl who in turn was focused on her cereal.

“Can we?” Shifting her attention from her cereal to Sergio, she clarified her stance as she swallowed. “I want a sister.”

 _Where on earth was Raquel?_ “Uhm, oh. I see.” 

He dropped his hands to his side and kept shooting glances towards the hallway, hoping he could manifest Raquel to appear. But she didn't, and Paula’s big eyes were trailed on him, waiting for an answer. He had to say something.

Shifting anxiously, he nudged his glasses, and gave it his best shot. “Well, Paula. It’s not as simple as that. You don’t just order a sister from the shop or…”

Echoing her mother’s frequent exasperation with him, Paula’s eyes rolled dramatically. If he hadn’t been so acutely uncomfortable, the sight would have probably amused him. 

“I know where babies come from Sergio.”

 _She did?_ “You do?”

“Uh-hum. Mom told me.” She shoved in another spoonful of cereal and eyed him seriously as she chewed. “So can we have one?”

Feeling very much like a coward for what he was about to answer, he simply wasn’t ready to have this conversation without Raquel. “I’ll tell you what, we need to ask your mother too.”

Paula shrugged, seemingly accepting the non-answer for the time being. “Ok.”

Raquel soon joined them, accompanied by Mariví, and planted a kiss on the top of Paula’s head. “Good morning honey.” 

Mariví smiled at Sergio and sat down next to her granddaughter, pulling her in for a hug. Raquel came up to him and he brought his hand to rest on her hip. She kissed his temple before straightening back up, letting a hand linger in his hair. In moments like this, Sergio would reflect on the unlikeliness of this being his life. He didn’t feel like he deserved any of it, yet here they were, Raquel was letting him lean into her, resting his head on her waist, as Paula was trying to convince her grandmother to try her cereals as they objectively speaking truly were excellent.

Reaching for the cups Sergio had set out for them, Raquel turned to Mariví, and Sergio let his arm slide over her lower back as he withdrew it. “Mom, would you like some coffee?”

Mariví smiled gratefully at her daughter, evidently having one of her good days. “I would love some sweetheart, thank you.”

Sergio hoped to have a few minutes to gather himself before broaching Paula’s question again, but the girl evidently had a different idea and poked her mother’s arm as she was handing Mariví her cup.

“Mom?” Raquel hummed in response, pouring herself a cup of the hot beverage as well. “I want a sister.”

Raquel appeared somewhat surprised, yet unfazed, and Sergio wondered how on earth she managed to keep a straight face when the same statement had sent him in for a loop. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, while Raquel calmly sat down next to him.

“Ok… Where is this coming from?”

“I asked Sergio if we could have a baby and he said we needed to ask you.”

Mariví tried, and failed, to stifle a laugh, while Raquel turned to Sergio with an amused, look. “Oh he did, did he?”

“Uh-hum.” Paula nodded, chewing. “So can we?”

The panic evident on Sergio’s face made Raquel chuckle. They hadn’t discussed the possibility of having children but she was fairly certain they were on the same page. That’s not to say she couldn’t have a little fun with it.

“What else did Sergio say?”

Paula eyed him thoughtfully, making him squirm. “Nothing.”

“I see.” Raquel shot Sergio a pointed look but ultimately decided to put him out of his misery. “Well, Paula, I’m afraid that no, there won’t be any babies in this house.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m done having children.”

“But… I want a sister.”

“I understand that honey, but my baby making days are over.”

“Why?”

“For any number of reasons, but the main one is that I frankly don’t want any more children. Before I had you, I longed for you and couldn’t wait to get pregnant. But I don’t feel that now. I’m happy with the family we have.”

At Paula’s disappointed expression, Raquel added, “Besides, there’s no guarantee it would be a girl. You could end up with a baby brother.”

Paula’s face contorted in disgust, and Raquel laughed. “See? It just isn’t worth the risk.”

Frowning, Paula’s eyes darted back and forth between Sergio and Raquel, wondering if she’d been tricked, hoping to catch one of them in a moment of weakness. The girl had quickly learned that Sergio was unlikely to say no to her, and settled her gaze on him, his unease rising again.

Noticing what her daughter was up to, Raquel shook her head. “Leave Sergio alone Paula, I already answered you. There will be no babies, and that’s that.”

Taking a sip of her coffee, Raquel winked at him, and Sergio was finally able to release the breath he’d been holding. Paula on the other hand, not pleased at all, pouted dramatically until her grandmother poked her in the belly and asked her how long she was going to pout for, soon coaxing a reluctant giggle out of the girl.


	3. A date

Sergio’s palms were sweaty, and he kept fiddling with his sleeves. He was nervously waiting for Raquel and Paula giggling at his obvious discomfort did nothing to help matters. 

In the little over two years that he’d known Raquel, he had never managed to take her out on a proper date. He had always appreciated that she, like him, prioritized spending time together over dressing up and going to an upscale restaurant, but Paula had earlier that week gone through her mother’s closet, pulled out an orange dress and asked how come she never wore it. It had made Sergio realise two things: one, wining and dining Raquel was long overdue, and two, he desperately wanted to see her in that dress. 

She’d been in the shower as he was getting dressed and he’d since joined Paula in the sitting room, helping her with a puzzle she was working on. But he was now pacing and Paula was sitting on the sofa, peering at him over it. “Where are you going tonight?”

“Into the city, to a nice restaurant.”

“Why can’t I come too?”

“I don’t think it’s a restaurant you’d like very much, it’s just adults sitting and talking.”

“No children?”

“No children.”

Scrunching her face, Paula shifted and slid to the floor, returning her attention to the puzzle. “Sounds boring.”

Sergio walked around and sat on the sofa close to her. “I told you you wouldn’t like it.”

The girl sighed heavily, “I still want to come.”

Struck by just how sad Paula’s slumped shoulders made her appear, Sergio was tempted to say she could come along, even though he had been looking forward to this evening with Raquel. But the thought of Raquel finding out he had yet again given in to her daughter’s demands kept him from budging. For once. 

“Not this time Paula. You’re going to spend a nice evening with your abuela tonight, maybe even finish the puzzle.” 

The girl moping slightly, he nudged her. “But maybe we can find another restaurant in the city where we can all go soon?”

Unconvinced, Paula muttered a response Sergio couldn’t discern, before she turned at the sound of steps approaching. Spotting her mother, she immediately perked up and jumped to her feet, rushing over to Raquel with a squeal. “Mom, you look so pretty!”

Sergio turned as well. It wasn’t the first time that Raquel took his breath away, far from it, but Sergio had never seen her quite like this before. Her skin glowed against the orange colour, the sleeveless dress with wide straps hugged her figure perfectly and the pair of green heeled sandals she wore deliciously emphasised the curves that he so appreciated. With a generous V-neck cleavage, the dress stopped just below her knees, and Sergio simply stared at Raquel. Her hair was up, her light make-up accentuated her features, and combined with the earrings, heels, and that dress… It was perfection. _She_ was perfection, and he couldn’t believe his luck.

Paula hugged her mother, beaming up at her and Raquel smiled at her daughter, stroking her hair. “Thank you, honey.”

When Sergio had gathered himself enough, he joined them, snuck a hand around Raquel’s waist and bent down to place a kiss on her cheek. “Paula is right Raquel, you look beautiful.” He let his hands draw circles on her lower back as he added with a shy smile, “Absolutely stunning.”

“Thank you.” She undid the top two buttons of his shirt and ran her hands down his blazer, “And you look very handsome.” 

She tugged at his shirt and winked, adding in a low voice, “I can’t wait to get you out of this though.”

Sergio cleared his throat, not sure he’d ever get use to the delight she took in making him squirm, but secretly hoping she’d never stop doing it. “The car is here. Are you ready?”

She hummed in confirmation, and Paula hugged them both goodbye with a promise to be on her best behaviour for the evening. Raquel grabbed her daughter’s face between her hands and repeatedly kissed her cheek loudly, earning her a giggle as the girl squirmed, trying to get away from her.

“They did not!” Raquel put her fork down, laughing, shaking her head. 

They were sitting on the terrace of one of Puerto Princesa’s nicest restaurants and had requested a table at a distance from others, not wanting to have to watch their conversations nor be on edge about anyone recognising either of them. 

“Yes, they did.”

“Both of them?”

“Yes.”

She raised an eyebrow and squinted at him, “Really.”

“Yes.”

“Sergio. Are you really telling me that both Tokyo and Nairobi tried to get into your pants in that house in Toledo?”

“That’s not quite the way I put it, but yes, they did.”

“Well, well, well…” Raquel took a sip of wine, grinning into her glass.

Sergio looked at her with a wounded look as he too drank some of his wine, “You don’t believe me.”

“No, it’s not that! I just…”

“What?”

She shrugged, putting down her glass. “Well, sometimes you’re not the most astute at picking up signals, that’s all.”

Sergio huffed in consternation, gesturing with his cutlery. “Be that as it may, they were quite far from subtle, so even I could pick up on them.”

“Really?”

He gave her a determined nod and, having taken the last bite of his meal, put the cutlery down. “Why is this so hard for you to believe?”

“It’s not! You’re a very attractive, charming man and clearly, I can relate to women wanting to sleep with you.” She winked and paused for a beat. “I just… Didn’t realise you had such game, that’s all.”

“Game?”

“Well yes. You had two women in the group and they both made passes at you?”

Appearing offended, he puffed. “Well, they did.”

She raised her hands in defeat, “Ok, ok.” 

The thought of Sergio struggling to handle the advances from the two women amused her to no end though, and she grinned ear to ear as she shook her head. “What I wouldn’t give to have seen it.” Trying not to laugh, she added, “Just how uncomfortable did they make you?”

“ _Very_ uncomfortable.”

“Uncomfortable like when I grope you in public?”

He chuckled, fiddling with his glass, “Worse. Because when you do that, there’s an element to it that I rather enjoy.”

She scrunched her nose, sporting a triumphant grin. “I knew it.”

She was raising her glass to her lips but stopped, her smile suddenly dropping, “Wait.” She put her glass back down. “Did you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Sleep with them?”

“Both?”

Raquel’s mouth dropped and her eyes went wide in shock, “Sergio!”

He laughed, delighted that he’d managed to get a rile out of her. “Of course I didn’t.”

He took a sip of wine and couldn’t help but revelling in one of the few moments where he had the upper hand. “Surely the thought of me sleeping with Tokyo or Nairobi, or both, before we met doesn’t make you jealous Inspector?”

She shot him a dirty look, “What’s it to you if it does?”

Thinking he looked all too pleased with himself, Raquel slowly leaned over the table, well aware of the generous view she was granting him. He swallowed hard and tried to pry his eyes from her cleavage as she brought her hand up to graze his beard and leaned in, catching his lower lip, and briefly sucked on it. She remained hovering just in front of him as she purred, “Such a ladies’ man, Professor.”

His smug grin gone, it was replaced by the stone face she’d come to recognise as the one that signalled he wasn’t quite sure of what was happening, but that he was getting aroused and was trying his best to hide it. He swallowed hard again and she smiled sweetly at him as she sat back down, raising her glass at him with a wink.

The car pulled up to the dark, quiet house at around midnight, and after paying the driver for the night’s work, Sergio followed Raquel to the house when he had an idea, not ready for the evening to end just yet.

“Raquel. It’s a clear night and the moon’s out, do you want to go for a walk on the beach?”

She eyed him tenderly, and accepted his outstretched hand, a faint smile on her lips, “Sure.”

Raquel removed her shoes as they reached the beach, and carried them in her free hand.

“So, to what do I owe this sudden surge in romance?” She nudged him, planting a kiss on his shoulder. “Not that I’m complaining, mind you.”

Sergio brought up her hand to his lips, leaving a kiss on it. “I thought it was about time.” He stopped and turned to face her, “And I also really wanted to see you in that dress.”

She let go of his hand, took two steps back, stretched out her arms, and smiled widely. “And?”

He hadn’t thought it possible, but she somehow looked even more beautiful in the moonlight.

“You’re perfect.”

She tutted, “Always with the grand declarations.” 

She let go of her shoes, grabbed the collar of his jacket with both hands, and pulled him to her. “I meant what I said you know, you look devilishly handsome tonight.”

He couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face, “Really.”

“Mmmm…” She eyed him up and down, biting her bottom lip. “I’ve struggled keeping my hands off you all evening.”

His arms came around her waist and he clasped his hands, letting them rest just above her ass. “Is that so?”

Still holding on to his collar, she pulled him down to her and kissed him softly, her tongue lightly brushing against his lips. The vibrations from her humming against him impossible to resist, he brought one hand up to the back of her head and deepened the kiss. 

She pulled back slightly and tried to speak as he continued to kiss her. “Sergio?”

Ignoring her, Sergio kept planting kisses on her. His tongue darted into her mouth, and she sucked at it lightly before pushing him away, arching her back.

“If you don’t get me inside right now, I will fuck you right here on the beach.”

He laughed and pulled her in for another kiss. 

She spoke against his lips, “I’m serious.”

He nodded and kept kissing her, smirking. 

“I’ll do it, Sergio, I swear I will. I’ll do you right here in the moonlight.”

As he still didn’t move, but had now began kissing his way down her neck, Raquel grinned. If he was feeling adventurous, then she certainly wouldn’t be one to put an end to it. She pulled up his face to her, and kissed him thoroughly while pressing her entire body to his. They groaned in unison at the feel of his growing bulge pushing against her, causing Sergio to eventually break the kiss, panting.

“Alright, we’d better go inside.”

Raquel shook her head as she hovered just above his lips, “No, no.” She unzipped his fly, an eyebrow raised. “You had your chance, Professor.”

Sergio swallowed hard, and quickly moved to stop Raquel’s hands, earning him a challenging look. He responded by kissing her roughly and picking her up. He carried her back towards their house as she vaguely protested between kisses that he was cheating, mumbling that if she wasn’t wearing this particular dress, she would’ve dragged him into the ocean and done unsavoury things to him in the water.

“Oh, my shoes!” 

She wiggled out of his arms, ran back to pick up her discarded shoes, then sprinted back. Crashing into Sergio, she threw one arm around his neck, placed her other hand on his cheek, and kissed him for all she was worth. He lifted her off the ground by the waist and walked with a now giggling Raquel pressed against his body, feet dangling off the ground.

Between kisses, she murmured against his lips, “Thank you for tonight.”

He pulled back with a grin, eyes hungry with desire, “It is always my pleasure Inspector.”


	4. Through the pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to anyone who’s read the last two chapters, a bigger thank you to those of you who’ve left kudos and for you lovelies who’ve left comments: you’ve made my day <3

The female body was a marvel. Sergio had always suspected as much based on his mostly theoretical knowledge of it, but his suspicions had gotten confirmed through his relationship with Raquel. He took great joy at discovering the innumerable layers to it, particularly exploring when, and how, different parts of her body would react to his, or her own, touch. 

Much to his delight he’d learned that it wasn’t just about her body and what he did to it, but what mood she was in as well. If she was angry or annoyed with him, he shouldn’t even bother trying to make it last, it would simply frustrate and irritate her further. As she’d told him once with a raised eyebrow as she tried to get him to get on with it, “a quick, rough, efficient fuck” was all she was looking for. When she was playful, he could experiment freely and put an end to whatever snidey comment she had ready for him with a well-placed nip at her clit while letting two fingers slide into her wet entrance. When she looked at him softly, and they made love, her nipples would be more sensitive, and if he kissed a specific spot on her neck, she would let herself go entirely to him.

The power of her orgasms never seized to amaze him, and he was always looking for ways of making them stronger and last a little longer, mentally filing what nibble would earn him a dragged-out moan, and which would make her push him away, the stimulation overwhelming for her. He’d learned that timing was everything. 

He approached her body like an instrument he’d quickly learned how to play, but was now attempting to master. 

But Raquel’s wonder of a body was currently working against her as she was sitting with her back against their bed, crouched over in pain, waiting for the pain killers to kick in and allow her to go about her day. He handed her a hot water bottle which she gratefully accepted and placed on her lower abdomen, wincing.

“Can I get you anything else?”

Her face twisted in pain, she shook her head, “No, it’ll be fine. I just need a few minutes.”

He couldn’t stand seeing her in this amount of pain. In their time together he’d seen her in emotional pain but this physical one was new and he didn’t care for it one bit. He would’ve given anything to take it away, yet was vaguely aware of the fact that she didn’t need him for that. He was always looking for solutions to any of her or Paula’s problems and Raquel had recently told him they didn’t need him to fix their problems, rather just needed him by, and on, their side as they went through the harder times.

Sergio supposed this was one of those times and crouched down, “Is it like this every time?”

“Not this bad, no.” She shifted slightly.

“Even you would’ve noticed if it was.” She winked at him, attempting to lighten the mood, but her voice gave away the effort it took. 

He sat next to her but kept a distance between them, not sure whether he could, or should, touch her. He’d clearly made the right decision, as she didn’t make any move to get closer to him, nor lean against him. Their ability to draw strength from the smallest act of physical contact had been an anchoring part of their relationship from the beginning, and the fact that Raquel kept her distance told him just the amount of pain she was in.

He pointed to the hot water bottle, “Doesn’t that burn?”

Raquel groaned, “It does. But my choices are basically the feeling of my ovaries twisting me into oblivion, or third-degree burns. At least the burns will relieve some of the pain.”

Aware of the basics of women’s menstruation cycles but wanting to understand more about what was happening to _her_ body, he asked, “Did anything indicate it would be this bad this month?”

Eyeing him suspiciously, Raquel clearly didn’t like what she saw and waved him off. “Stop trying to figure out my cycle Sergio. It’s insulting. And very annoying.”

“Oh.” Looking very much like he got caught, he nudged his glasses. “Ok.”

Raquel squinted, “You already did, didn’t you?”

“I may have made some observations, yes.” 

She sighed loudly and tilted her head back, resting it against the mattress. “Of course you have.” 

She groaned and flipped over the hot water bottle, “I swear to god Sergio, if you ever even come close to uttering the words “Raquel are you on your period”, I’ll…”

He quickly interjected, “I won’t!” 

She shot him a dirty, sceptical look and he reaffirmed his vow, more assertively this time. “I won’t.”

She huffed, “You better fucking not.”

Wondering whether he’d actually stepped in it, Sergio was reassured as she brought her hand up to his cheek, letting it linger there, running her fingers through his beard. He doubted he’d ever tire of the soothing effects feeling her fingers in his beard had, and leaned slightly into her hand. As it left his cheek, Sergio tried his luck and seized it, letting their linked hands rest between them as he sat with her through the pain, his thumb lightly tracing circles on her skin.

“Did I tell you what Paula did the other day?”

Raquel inched closer to him and leaned her head on his shoulder, “No.”

“She marched into my study, sat down and just stared at me, waiting for me to talk.”

Raquel hummed, “Quite the power move.”

“It was, and it seemed to come very naturally to her.”

“Mmmm… I imagine it worked like a charm?”

“It did. You’ll have to teach me how to withstand the Murillo stare some day.”

“I would, but then I’d run the risk of you withstanding mine as well, and I rather enjoy having the power of making you squirm.”

He chuckled and brought her hand to his lips, “I know you do.”

She squeezed his hand, “So? What did she want?”

“To plead her case.”

“About what? Not a baby again I hope.”

“Not this time, no. She pointed out that it’s rather odd she doesn’t have a workspace in the house, since she’s the one who goes to school and has homework to do, and thus is the one in the family to really need a desk. She said, and I quote, “Sergio, I need a quiet place for my studies”.”

Raquel laughed, “She didn’t.”

“I swear she did, word for word.”

“What did you say?”

“That she was welcome to use the study. But she was adamant that she needed her own desk.”

“A quiet place for her studies… That must’ve been music to your ears.”

He chuckled, “It really was. A particularly proud moment.” Sergio smiled at the memory, almost allowing himself to think that he spotted some of himself in the girl.

“I told her we just needed to settle on where she wants the desk, either in her room or in the study, and that we could go to the market this weekend to pick one out.”

“Sounds good. But are you sure you’d want her in your study? I know you need your space.”

“I do, but like you’ve pointed out, I need to learn to share it.”

“You’re still allowed your own space though. She should be welcome in there, but I think it should still be your space.”

“Hmm… We’ll see what she says.”

She turned and kissed his shoulder, “Thank you for being so good with her.”

“She makes it easy, she just tells me what’s on her mind. Leaves very little room for interpretation.”

Raquel chuckled before she winced through a stab in her lower abdomen. “That would drive most people crazy, but I’m glad it works for you.”

“I’m really enjoying getting to know her Raquel. She’s funny, smart, and perceptive. I like talking to her. I still can’t quite believe that she accepts me in her life though.”

“It’s not always going to be easy though.”

“I know, I know.”

“Just imagine when she gets her period and is the one crunched over in pain. Or when she’ll be all over the place emotionally, oblivious to the fact that her hormones are wreaking havoc on her system. That’ll be a thrill.”

The thought of Paula as a hormonal teenager had never occurred to Sergio, and it instantly terrified him. “Oh god.”

Hearing the panic in his voice, Raquel laughed and patted his stomach. “Don’t worry cariño, we still have a few years.”

 _Years._ The word made Sergio smile.

They hadn’t really spoken about the future, other than Raquel acknowledging three weeks after arriving in Palawan that she and Paula were staying. It was a quiet understanding between them that this was it, that they were fully committed to one another, that they were going to grow old together. 

But hearing her referring to their future, to him being a stepfather to a teenage Paula, as he was stroking her hand, a sense of coming home washed over Sergio and he squeezed Raquel’s hand in gratitude.


	5. A very good day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and for the kudos and as always, a special mention to those leaving comments. They bring me such joy, I can’t thank you enough!

Having dropped Paula off at school, Sergio returned to find Raquel humming, walking from their bathroom to the closet in her underwear. She didn’t notice him and he revelled in one of the few times he could observe a scantily clad Raquel without her being aware he was doing it. She looked serene, with a hint of a smile detectable, a calm radiating from her that had been present ever since Mariví joined them in Palawan. She put on a pair of linen trousers and was standing in her bra, examining her closet, still unaware of Sergio’s appreciative gaze. She pulled out a top, and turned towards him.

“Oh!” Startled, she took a step back, then tucked her hair behind her ear. “You’re back. I didn’t hear you come in.” She walked up to him, top in hand and reached up to kiss him, smiling warmly as she did.

“I was enjoying the view.”

This earned him a hearty laugh, and another kiss. “Such a sweet-talker.”

Not wanting to waste the opportunity to appreciate her in a bra a while longer, he let his hands run up and down her arms before snaking them around her back, relishing the feel of his fingers grazing against her soft skin. He let one of his hands come up to capture her hair, while the other found its way down to caressing her ass, and he hunched down to capture her lips. She hummed contently as her hands settled on his upper arms. 

Breaking apart, she proceeded to plant small kisses from his mouth, to his cheek, to his neck, as she pulled him in for a hug. He replied in kind, holding her tightly against him and lifting her off the ground, earning him a grunt and claim that he was crushing her, followed by a delighted laugh. 

Setting her back down, he took her face in his hands and kissed her again. “You’re in a good mood.”

“I am.” Untangling from him, she put her top on and pulled her hair out from it. “My mom’s having a really good day, and I’m taking her out for a walk.”

“That’s wonderful, I’m glad.”

“I am too.” She pecked him on the lips, then headed into their en-suite bathroom. “I just feel like I truly have her back for a day, you know?” 

He nodded, aware of the toll Mariví’s illness took on Raquel, and on Paula too. Since arriving in Palawan, Mariví had increasingly had good days, but both Sergio and Raquel were acutely aware of the fact that she could only get so much better, that the disease would eventually take over completely. So they tried to make the most of these times. 

She came back out and handed him a bottle of sunscreen, turning her back to him and drawing her hair over her shoulder as he took the bottle from her. 

He squeezed out a dollop of cream, handed her back the bottle her, and applied the sunscreen on her back and shoulders, leaving a trail of small kisses on her neck when he was done. Raquel’s neck was a sensitive spot, and she squealed before turning to him, planting a kiss at the corner of his mouth. “Thank you.”

“You’re most welcome.”

Raquel rubbed sunscreen on her arms, and Sergio sat down on their bed. “Will you be back for lunch?”

She nodded and hummed in confirmation, “Probably before then.”

“Ok.” He got up, pulled her in by the waist and planted a kiss on her temple, “I’ll be in my study, I’ll see you later.”

“Ok.”

Grinning, he kissed her again, “Ok”, and left their bedroom.

Back from their walk, Raquel and Mariví were sitting on the porch, when Sergio came out.

“How was the walk?”

Mariví smiled broadly, “Really wonderful, thank you.”

Raquel absentmindedly took hold of his hand, the gesture spreading a small smile across his face. “I’m glad. Lunch in about an hour?”

Eyes trailed on the ocean, Raquel squeezed his hand. “Sounds perfect.” Shifting her gaze to him, she beamed, “Thank you.”

Sergio headed inside and Raquel turned to her mother, who was smiling knowingly. “What?”

“Raquel, honey, I can’t tell you what it means to see you like this.”

“Hmm?”

Mariví covered Raquel’s hand with hers. “Happy, genuinely happy.” 

Raquel squeezed her hand, overwhelmed with having this day with her mother. The only thing Mariví couldn’t remember that day was Sergio’s name, but she did remember who he was to Raquel, to Paula, and she was comfortable around him.

“It makes me realise how long it’s been since I saw you this way. I’m sorry I didn’t realise it sooner.”

“What do you mean, realised what?”

“How Alberto was making you feel… How he treated you.”

Tears forming in her eyes, Raquel shook her head. “Don’t be mom, I did my best to hide it.”

“Still, I’m your mother, I should’ve known.”

“Mom, don’t do that. It doesn’t work that way.” She sighed deeply, “I hid it from everyone… And I denied it to myself. You couldn’t have known.”

“Maybe not the details, but if I’d made an effort I would’ve seen that you weren’t happy. And we could’ve talked about it.”

“It wouldn’t have helped.”

“Maybe, maybe not.”

Raquel wiped away a tear and Mariví pulled her daughter into her arms, stroking her hair. 

When they were in Madrid, and Mariví was no longer living with her and Paula, Raquel unable to care for her the way she needed, she never could have imagined that she could get her mother back this much. She was eternally grateful to Sergio for suggesting they bring her here, and for finding her a good doctor on the mainland who would come to Puerto Princesa once a month for check-ups. That, two nurses, the calm pace in Palawan and having Raquel and Paula close, had worked wonders. But this was an exceptionally good day, and she didn’t want her mother wasting it on feeling guilty.

“I’m happy now mom. And everything that happened ultimately led me here, led us here.”

Mariví kissed her forehead and Raquel straightened up, her mother caressing her cheek.

“I can see that honey, truly. And this man…”

“Sergio.”

“Right, Sergio. He’s good to you, right?”

“Very.”

“It’s clear from how he looks at you that he adores you.”

“Mmmm…”

“And you love him.”

“I do mom, more than I…” Raquel always struggled formulating the depth of her feelings for Sergio, words never seeming sufficient.

“I honestly didn’t think it was possible to feel this way, this strongly, for a man. And I definitely didn’t think it was in the cards for me, not anymore. And then Sergio crashed into my life.”

“I’m glad…” Her mother padded her hand, “Now tell me, how is he in bed?”

Raquel burst out laughing, “Mom!”

“What? These things matter Raquel, if you’re going to be with someone for the rest of your life, it’s important to be compatible. I’m telling you honey, if the sex isn’t good, then you might as well…”

Raquel groaned, “Enough, mom, enough!”

Shaking her head at her mother, she chuckled. “You don’t need to worry about anything in that department, ok?”

“So the sex is good?”

“Jesus mom…” Raquel laughed, glad that Sergio wasn’t there for this particular discussion, certain he would’ve imploded on the spot. “Yes, the sex is good. Very good.”

“I’m glad. Now that’s enough about men.” She turned to the ocean, “It really is beautiful here.”

“Mmm.”

“Do you remember when you were small, you were always begging us to move to the ocean?”

“I remember.”

“For a while you were convinced you could learn to breath underwater, that you were meant to live as a creature of the sea.”

Raquel laughed, “Really? I don’t remember that.”

“Oh, I do. You were always practicing your ability to hold your breath underwater. Even when you were just taking a bath.”

“I didn’t.”

“You most certainly did. And you had really set your mind to it. You know, you were one of the most determined children I’ve ever met. Once you’d set your mind to something, there was no convincing you otherwise. You were going to make it or break it on your own terms.”

“Sounds exhausting… I’m glad Paula doesn’t take after that.”

“There’s more of you in her than you think, dear.”

“Really?”

“Mmm… Where do you think she gets her stubbornness from?”

Raquel huffed, “I’m not stubborn.”

“Oh really?”

“Really. I may be a lot of things, but I am _not_ stubborn.”

“Raquel please, you can’t be serious.”

“I am serious!”

Looking at her daughter incredulously, Mariví eventually shook her head. “Alright. I’ll be right back.” 

Mariví got up and headed into the house with a confused Raquel looking after her. She soon came back with Sergio in tow.

“Sergio, dear. I’d like your opinion on something.”

“Alright.”

Raquel groaned, “Mom, please.”

“No, no, honey. Let’s settle this.”

She turned to Sergio. “Now…” Snapping her fingers, she tried to conjure the name that escaped her.

“Sergio.”

“Right. Sergio.” She motioned towards Raquel, “My daughter here seems to be under the impression that she is not stubborn.”

Sergio shifted uncomfortably, eyes darting to Raquel, then back to Mariví, who patted his arm.

“Would you say that’s accurate?”

“Uhm…” Sergio looked at Raquel who was starring back at him eyebrows raised, lips pursed.

Mariví nudged him, “Go on then, you can answer freely, right honey?”

Raquel smacked her lips and shot her mother a defiant look. “Right.”

Sergio twisted, removed his glasses, cleaned them and put them back on before answering. “Well, uhm, you see…”

Raquel huffed, “Oh for… Just spit it out already.”

Sergio took a breath and tried to contain his smirk as he declared, “Raquel is one of the most stubborn people I’ve ever had the great pleasure of meeting.”

Raquel snorted, “Please.” 

She turned to face the ocean, arms crossed, as Mariví patted Sergio on the arm with a wide smile, “Thank you dear.”

Sergio nodded unsurely and headed back in, convinced Raquel was going to make him pay for what had just happened at some stage, praying it would be in a pleasant way, yet not entirely convinced it would be.


	6. What ifs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the support for this story, I appreciate it more than I can say!

Sergio had been trying, and failing, to focus on his book. Paula and Mariví were in bed, and his attention kept being drawn to Raquel who was sitting in the hanging chair, rocking slightly, one leg dangling freely. She was going over the latest surveillance report from his team in Pakistan, to ensure that the police still had no trace of her, Sergio, Paula, or Mariví. That they could carry on living their quiet lives.

He was still getting used to sharing his space with three other people, and the mess and noise that it entailed. Gone was the order, logic and solitude that had dominated his entire adult life, and he at times felt like he’d landed in the middle of a storm. He would without a doubt classify theirs as a happy household, yet there was shouting, disagreements, bickering, and loud sighs of resignation as they all adjusted to their new reality. Raquel, Mariví and Paula were all clearly used to family life, and seemingly navigated the backs and forth smoothly, whereas Sergio feared he would get whiplash from the extreme ambience changes that would occur in only a few seconds. When he had brought it up with Raquel, she had merely laughed and told him he should brace himself for Paula hitting her teens. 

The thought of a teenage Paula with all it would entail filled him with dread, yet he was simultaneously excited to see the person she would grow up to be. The realisation that he would get to see Paula grow up, to follow and perhaps even guide her into adulthood humbled Sergio, and made him reflect over how close he’d gotten to missing out on all of this. If Paula hadn’t called him from Alberto’s house those last nights in Madrid, who knows whether Raquel ever would’ve reached out to him. And what if he hadn’t made one of the most important decisions of his life and come back to Madrid for her?

“Raquel?”

“Mmmm.”

“What do you think would have happened, if I hadn’t gone back to Spain?”

Frowning, Raquel looked up from the report. “What?”

“If I hadn’t come back to see you, where do you think we would have been?”

Raquel eyed him curiously, no doubt gauging what exactly he was asking her, and why. Her expression soon turned into a mischievous one though, and Sergio braced himself for what was about to come.

“Well, I imagine you would’ve continued being quite miserable, pining for me.”

He chuckled, “Undoubtedly.” Not wanting to dwell on just how likely that scenario actually would have been, Sergio asked, “And what about you?”

She shrugged, “I don’t know… Maybe married Javier, and lived happily ever after?”

The words escaped his lips before he’d even formulated the thought, “Fucking Javier.”

Eyes wide and mouth agape at his unusual outburst, Raquel closed the folder.

“Why Professor,” she got up and moved towards him, “such strong words on a Tuesday evening.” 

She took his book from him, placed it on the coffee table and sat in his lap, one leg on each side. He didn’t look amused though, which in turn tickled her even further.

“Really Sergio, after everything we’ve been through, you cannot possibly still be jealous of him.”

He shrugged, “You said it yourself Raquel, jealousy is not a rational feeling. I can’t help it if the thought of you and Javier fills me with rather unpleasant, dare I say even aggressive, feelings.”

Raquel’s delighted appearance made him squirm. He didn’t like the turn this discussion had taken. He couldn’t quite pinpoint why, but it didn’t sit well with him. 

“Well, doesn’t the thought of all the ladies in my life affect you? I remember someone getting jealous at the thought of my sleeping with Nairobi and Tokyo.”

She pulled back slightly, biting back a smirk, “All the ladies in your life, huh?”

He tried to shift her off of him, making her realise he actually had something on his mind and wasn’t in the mood for jokes. She flexed her muscles, staying firmly in place on his lap, pinning him down under her, with him looking consternated at her refusal to budge.

“What’s going on?”

He tried to avoid her gaze but there was no escaping it as she was sitting in his lap and traced his darting eyes with her head.

“Sergio? Tell me.”

As he remained quiet, Raquel bit her lip. “Your question was sincere?”

He offered a small nod and she sighed. He wasn’t the easiest person to read, and she hated when she got it wrong as he would end up looking like a wounded puppy, and he never blamed her for causing him pain. She always ended up feeling like an asshole in moments like these.

“Alright… What I think would have happened if you hadn’t come back to Madrid.” His hands came to rest on her hips as she reflected on his question, the warmth they brought telling her that he was waiting for her answer. “I think we would have found our way back to each other. Somehow, some day.”

“Really?”

She nodded and shrugged with a crooked smile, “Maybe by the time Paula moved out, I would’ve worked up the courage to come look for you.”

“You think you would have?”

“Eventually, yes. But it might have taken a good number of years.” She stroked his cheek, “I’m really grateful that you came back.”

“You are?”

She placed a featherlight kiss on his lips, “I am. Immensely. The life we have… Sergio, not in my wildest dreams did I ever think this would be a possibility.” 

His shoulders finally relaxing, he nonetheless still had one thing on his mind.

“The postcards weren’t enough?”

She shook her head. “No. Don’t get me wrong, they mattered, a lot. But they left the ball in my court, and while I’m not sure I realised it at the time, I think I needed you to show me that what had happened between us during the heist had been as real for you as it had been for me.”

“And did I?”

“Cariño.” She eyed him affectionately, “You risked everything to come back for me. And you stayed even though it was evident I mostly wanted to rip you a new one.”

Sergio chuckled lightly, writhing at the memory. 

Raquel ran a hand through his hair, “You threw me in for a loop you know. Finding you at my doorstep that day…” She smiled warmly at the memory. “I had no idea what to do with you.”

He smiled shily at her saying the exact things he hadn’t known he needed to hear. “I couldn’t believe you actually let me in.”

She chuckled, “Neither could I to be honest.” Caressing his cheek, she added, “But the fact that you came? It just… It meant the world Sergio. It made me heal.”

He sighed as he leaned his head into the crook of her neck, and Raquel enveloped him in her arms.

Once he spoke, his words came out muffled, “I’m just… Really happy, Raquel.”

Pulling up his head, Raquel gazed into his eyes and in them saw the truth she no longer harboured any doubts over. That he loved her. For all of his flaws, he loved her fully and would do anything to keep her and Paula safe. 

With one hand on his shoulder and the other running through the hair at the nape of his neck, she saw his eyes turn darker. She leaned in and hovered just above his lips, hearing his breath turn shallow, and she smiled in anticipation, amazed at just how quickly they could turn each other on. He soon caught her lips, his hands coming up to either side of her face. The kiss quickly grew more passionate and she shifted against him, needing to be closer to him, and felt his bulge against her as he groaned, the sound and feeling further edging her own. 

Sergio let his hands cup her ass and stood up, keeping her firmly in place. She wrapped her legs around him, not breaking the kiss, and he carried her to their bedroom, Raquel kicking the door closed behind them.

He sat on their bed with her still wrapped around him, and counted his blessings that she was wearing a dress as he pulled it over her head. Pausing to enjoy the sight of her exposed breasts, he licked his lips before planting a trail of kisses from her neck, down to her breast. He licked a circle around her nipple, then took it into his mouth. He sucked on it lightly, eliciting a moan from her as she tilted her head back, one hand on his shoulder and the other on his leg as she pressed herself against him. Much to his delight, he found Raquel reacted to the tiniest touch, and Sergio knew that if he played her body right, he could take her by surprise and make her orgasm quickly.

Her breath hitched as she rubbed herself against his growing erection and he bit back a moan, struggling to maintain his focus on the task at hand. He was still fully dressed when he flicked her nipple with his tongue and slid a finger inside her, angling it expertly, while rubbing her clit with his thumb. She dug her nails into his back as she came undone in his arms, the sight of her shivering body impossibly erotic to him. 

She draped herself over him, panting. “Fuck Sergio, how did you manage that so quickly?”

He smirked, “I know your tells.”

Chuckling, she asked, “Is that so?”

“It is.”

She took a few deep breaths. “What a coincidence…” She planted a soft, wet kiss on his neck and slowly began moving against him again, causing him to groan as she unbuttoned his shirt, “I know your tells too.”


	7. The walk home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, leaving kudos, and especially for the incredibly kind words! <3

Waiting for Paula, Sergio tried to avoid getting roped into a conversation with one of the other parents. He was always uncomfortable around the schoolyard, but the fact that Raquel swore this woman flirted with him any opportunity she got, made him even less at ease. The second he spotted Paula coming out of the building chatting with a friend, he excused himself, not able to remove himself from the situation soon enough. Sergio caught her scanning the schoolyard for her mother and was relieved when she broke out in a smile and waved as she spotted him. She said goodbye to her friend and ran up to him, enveloping him in a hug. He still couldn’t quite believe how quickly she’d taken to him and the fact that she felt this comfortable around him, but he could believe even less how comfortable he felt with her, how much he enjoyed the relationship they were building.

“How come you’re picking me up today?”

“Your mother wanted to take your abuela out for a walk, so she asked if I could do it.”

“Oh, ok.”

“Do you mind?”

Skipping a few steps, she shook her head, “Nope.”

She took his hand as they began walking, as if it was the most natural thing in the world and didn’t make his heart skip a beat.

“How was school?”

“Really long.”

Sergio chuckled. While Paula was generally eager to learn, she would vacillate between loving school and arguing that it was an unnecessary waste of precious time she could be spending playing outside with her friends. Her take on her education as a waste of time usually coincided with days she had grammar classes, without a doubt her least favourite subjects.

“Did you have grammar today?”

She looked up at him with wide eyes, “How did you know that?”

He winked at her, “I know a lot of things, Paula.”

The girl eyed him suspiciously, then shrugged. “Mom says you don’t know as much as you think you do.”

He chuckled, picturing Raquel telling her daughter that after he must’ve annoyed her, probably when they had debated something. “She does, huh?”

“Yup.”

“Well, your mom is right about most things so she’s probably right about that too.”

Nodding in agreement and swinging his arm faintly, Paula asked, “Can we get bananas on the way home?”

Knowing full well she was referring to the deep-fried bananas coated in caramelised brown sugar as opposed to the actual fruit, Sergio nonetheless tried to fain ignorance. 

“We have plenty of bananas at home.”

Paula let go of his hand, “No, not normal bananas, the yummy ones on a stick.”

“Which ones?”

She scrunched her nose, concentrating, “Banana cue!”

Sergio left and started walking again, Paula skipping next to him. “I don’t think your mother would like that.”

“It can be our secret, Bruno.” 

It hadn’t taken Paula long to figure out she had him wrapped around her little finger. And whenever she called him Bruno, usually when she wanted them to go on what she called a “secret mission”, the complicity it implied never failed to melt his heart and he would give in without fail. Raquel kept telling him he’d eventually have to learn to say no to Paula, but he would always argue she hadn’t been there, that she hadn’t seen the way her little face had looked at him with such hope, trust and excitement. That no one could’ve resisted that face. The argument usually earned him a scoff from Raquel and a declaration that it would be all on him if Paula turned out spoiled beyond reason.

Spotting a street vendor, Paula tugged at his shirt, “Look! We can buy some there!”

Chuckling, Sergio gave up. “Ok, ok, you win. But don’t tell your mother, ok?”

She shook her head, sporting her most serious face. “I promise.”

Sergio paid for three skewers of one Paula’s favourite treats, and handed her one. 

“Should we walk home on the beach?”

She answered him between bites, “Uh-hum.” Humming, Paula beamed up at him, “This is sooo good. Don’t you think?”

Sergio chuckled as he nodded, and thought that the way Paula looked at him in that instance would be well worth whatever reprimand he would undoubtedly face from Raquel. Even if both he and the girl had the best intention of keeping their secret, Raquel had an uncanny ability to draw the truth out of them. Sergio had once complained that she was playing dirty, that it wasn’t fair she used her cop tactics on him and that he was allowed some secrets. But Raquel had merely shrugged, saying he should have thought of that before he approached her that day at the Hanoi. As if he either of them could’ve even begun to imagine what would come of that encounter.

Having quickly wolfed down her first skewer, Paula chewed on her bottom lip as she turned to Sergio, eyes wide and darting between his face and the remaining treat in his hand. He brought the skewer up to his own mouth, pretending he was about to take a bite, and Paula’s mouth dropped, eyes growing to the size of saucers. Laughing, he handed it to her instead and they walked home, Paula’s chatter about her day filling the air.

Raquel was sitting outside with Mariví when she spotted Sergio and Paula heading towards them on the beach. Sergio was carrying Paula’s backpack as her daughter did a cartwheel, took a few steps, head bobbing as she chatted, then launched into another cartwheel. Raquel squinted and bit her lower lip, Paula certainly appeared to be in a good mood. 

She rose as they got closer, bringing her hand up to shield her eyes from the sun. Paula waved at her and her grandmother but stayed on the beach, dancing on the shore, while a smiling Sergio came up to her, placed a hand on her lower back, pulled her in and planted two small kisses on her lips. 

Letting her go, Sergio greeted Mariví, dropped Paula’s backpack next to the daybed and sat down. Raquel licked her lips, detecting a hint of something sweet lingering, then settled her gaze on her daughter again. She smiled knowingly. “Sergio?”

“Yes?”

Glancing back at him, hands in her pockets, she asked pointedly, “Did you by any chance feed my child copious amounts of sugar on the way from school?”

He squirmed, “What makes you say that?”

“Well. I recognise a child hopped up on sugar when I see one, and you taste sweet.”

Realising he’d been caught quicker than he’d anticipated, Sergio hoped a diversion tactic might get him out of it. “Don’t I always?”

This earned him surprised, hearty laughs from both Mariví and Raquel, but her raised eyebrow told him she’d get the truth out of him sooner or later so he might as well fess up immediately. 

He shrugged, “She insisted on getting banana cue. I figured there was no harm in it… It’s bananas.”

He dared a glance at Raquel who with an amused look was clearly waiting for more. He held up a finger in the air, “Which means vitamins, and a healthy dose of potassium.”

Raquel huffed, and exchanged a pointed look with her mother before shaking her head. “A healthy dose of potassium, my ass.” 

She turned to the ocean shore and before Sergio knew it, ran towards Paula, picked her up mid-sprint and threw both of them into the ocean, fully clothed. The sound of Paula’s squeal before they hit the water and delighted laugh as she popped back up ringing through the air, it only took Mariví a few seconds to get on her feet and join them in the water.


	8. The cat

Ready to turn in for the night, Sergio was sitting in his pyjama bottoms reading with his back against the headboard, when Raquel came out of the bathroom a bottle of lotion in hand, wrapped in nothing but a towel.

“Do you know where we could find a cat?”

He looked up from his book, not sure he’d heard her correctly, “A cat?”

Raquel nodded as she came around to sit on his side of the bed and began applying lotion on her arms. “I figured if we get Paula a cat, maybe she’ll stop pestering me about a baby.”

“Ah yes, she asked me about it again the other day. Suggested that if I really wanted one too, then between the two of us we could convince you.”

Sergio tried lifting the towel that stopped at her thighs to sneak a peek, but his fingers were immediately swatted away by Raquel.

“Really?”

Putting his book on the nightstand, he scooted closer and pressed a kiss to her shoulder before resting his chin on it. “That, and she also informed me that she thought the odds were in her favour, and that it would be a girl.”

Smiling affectionately at him, Raquel leaned in and kissed Sergio, letting her lips brush against his for a beat, then pulled back and squeezed out more lotion, rubbing it on her legs, “Based on what?”

“Based on the fact that she, you, and your mother are all girls.”

“Did you point out to her that you’re not? That you are in fact a boy?”

“I did, but she’d done the math and deduced that the odds were three to one.”

Raquel shook her head, “What? Where’s the logic in that?”

Sergio let a finger run up and down her thigh, “I’m not sure but she assured me it made perfect sense.”

Raquel laughed, “Well, she is persistent, I’ll give her that.” 

Seeing she was almost done moisturising, Sergio laid down and placed his head in her lap before she had a chance to get up. Tossing the lotion bottle aside, she glanced down at him with a content smile and ran a hand through his hair. “You’re fine with it, right?”

“A cat?”

“That, and the lack of babies.”

He closed his eyes and let the feel of her fingers in his hair take over his senses. “Yes. To both.”

“So, we don’t need to talk about it?”

Opening one eye, he peered at her. “No, I completely agree with you and am very happy with the one mini-Murillo we have.”

“Ok. Good. And you’re not going to trade me in for a younger model once your biological clock starts ticking?”

The thought of him ever leaving Raquel, for another woman no less, was too absurd to even entertain, and he was fairly certain she knew it.

He shrugged as he snuck a finger up to her chest, and tugged at the spot where the towel was tucked in. “Depends on the model I suppose.”

Raquel whacked his hand away with a huff. He responded by wrapping his arms around her neck, drawing her down to him, and planting several loud smooches on her cheek, earning him a hearty laugh. 

Releasing her, he asked, “Do you really think she’ll be that easy to divert?”

“No… But I think she’d like a pet, and she loves cats.”

He nodded, “Alright. Let’s find Paula a cute cat then.”

“Alright.”

She put her hand under his head to lift it of her lap and got up, grabbing the bottle as she did. Giving it one last try, Sergio reached for the towel as she stood, earning him another swat and a mockingly stern look from Raquel.

“Not even a peek, Raquel?”

“Nope.”

He sighed, “You’re a cruel woman.”

Laughing, she headed back into the bathroom and he laid on his back with a grin, his hands on his stomach. He soon heard her footsteps approaching again, felt the mattress tip slightly, and before he knew it a completely naked Raquel climbed over him. She sat atop him for a few seconds, letting her fingers run over his chest, allowing him to finally get the view he’d been seeking, then laid down on top of him, flipping her hair over one shoulder, sneaking one hand into his hair and letting the other trace his beard.

“Is this what you wanted?”

He nodded, humming, and let his hands travelled down her back. Her gaze settled on his lips before she leaned in to kiss him, her grin matching his.

A week later they had identified the perfect candidate, a white and orange kitten bound to capture Paula’s heart. Sergio stayed home while Raquel picked up the kitten, and once she was back, they knocked on Paula’s door.

Opening the door, Raquel asked, “Paula? Can we talk to you?”

The girl was sitting at the desk they’d picked out together a few weeks earlier, drawing. “Uh-hum.”

“We have a surprise for you.” 

Paula put her crayon down and turned to them, eyes turning wide as Raquel produced the cat from behind her back. Jumping to her feet, she ran over to them, squealing, and crashed into Sergio’s waist, hugging him tight, her head facing away from the cat.

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!”

Sergio laughed at her excitement being so intense that she couldn’t even bring herself to look at her new pet. “Don’t you want to say hi, Paula?”

She let go of him and bit her lower lip as she slowly turned to the cat, eyes still wide. “It’s so cute.”

Raquel inched the animal closer to her, and placed it in her arms, “It’s yours.”

“Mine?” Paula brought the kitten up to her face and kissed it repeatedly.

“Yes. And having a pet is a lot of responsibility honey, you’ll have to take good care of him.”

She nodded rigorously, “I will! So much!”

Raquel snuck her hand around Sergio’s upper arm, leaning into him, hoping to draw strength from the contact. She was slightly overwhelmed by seeing her little girl so happy, the memories of how close she’d come to losing her still haunting her.

Sergio eyed her curiously but as Raquel shook her head, he returned his attention to the overjoyed girl vowing to be a responsible pet owner, “That’s good Paula.”

The kitten squirming in her arms and seeming intrigued by the solar system that now hung from the ceiling, Paula giggled and eventually sat down on the floor with it.

“What are you going to name it?”

“I get to pick?”

“Of course, it’s your cat.”

The girl thought about it briefly before her face erupted in a wide smile, clearly having been struck by a brilliant idea.

“Popcorn!”

Sergio chuckled, “Popcorn?”

The flash of darkness already pushed aside, Raquel crouched down and stroked the cat, “It’s your cat honey, you can name it whatever you want. But maybe you want to think about it?”

Paula shook her head. “Popcorn is perfect.” 

She picked up the cat again and ran out of the room as she giggled, “I’m going to go show Popcorn to Abuela, I love him so much!”

Standing back up, Raquel laughed and buried her nose in Sergio’s shoulder.

“What’s so funny?”

“I’m just picturing the great, enigmatic Professor… In the evening, whistling for the cat to come home, shouting “Popcorn! Popcorn!””

He huffed.

“I wish you could see it Sergio, the sight truly is priceless.”

“Why is it any funnier picturing me doing that, than you?”

She patted his chest and kissed his cheek, “It just is cariño, it just is.” 

Linking her hand with his, she tugged at it and they went to join Paula, the girl’s excited laugh ringing through the house.


	9. A chair. A mess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, a massive thank you for reading, leaving kudos and most of all, for the wonderful comments that go straight to my heart.

Their house was messy. Their bedroom was messy. Standing in the doorway, Sergio affectionately deduced there was no denying it; Raquel was messy. 

She and Paula had arrived in Palawan six months prior and had brought with them a flurry of activities, weekend outings, breakfasts in comfortable silence, breakfasts in tense silence with glares shot over cereals and coffees, chaos, small affectionate exchanges, an ever-growing rock collection, merciless teasing, a cat, disorder, frequent mind-blowing sex, domestic chores, laughs, fights... In the past six months every single aspect of his life had changed. And his bedroom had certainly never been this messy.

Sergio had always had a chair. A chair where he would set out his clothes for the following day. It was the sole purpose of the chair, it had always been that way, and it made sense for him. He knew it was a quirk, had in fact joked about it with Raquel in bed during the heist, back in Madrid, but it was what he did, what he had always done. He liked having order, and he liked having his chair for next day’s clothes. Ever since Raquel arrived though, that chair would often be occupied and rarely in its place, as she’d use it to reach things at the top of her closet, put both of their clothes on, both clean, dirty, and half-dirty, or Paula would occasionally saunter in and borrow it, once as she needed it for building a fortress in the hallway.

Six months with his now family, his room was messy, and he no longer had his chair. 

_His family._

He was twisting the words around in his mind, trying them out, and didn’t hear Raquel approaching. She snuck her hand in underneath his shirt and let it travel up his back, sending a shiver of pleasure through him.

“What are you thinking about?”

He answered the only way he knew how, honestly, forgetting that she wasn’t privy to his musings. “About the mess you’ve brought into my life.”

 _What the..?_ “Is there any chance you want to rephrase that Sergio?”

He shook his head, smiling. “No.”

“Oh.”

Only when she stopped her caresses and removed her hand, did he realise she didn’t see his face, didn’t know the emotion that had gone into his statement.

She pushed past him into their bedroom and headed to the dresser, opened a drawer, evidently looking for something, and closed it with a bang before moving on to the next one. Sergio cursed himself.

“Raquel?”

Rummaging through another drawer, she snapped. “What?” 

Her tone left no doubt, he had fucked up.

He swallowed hard as he adjusted his glasses, “Come to think of it, I would like to rephrase what I said.”

Raquel sighed, and he caught her shoulder slumping before she closed the drawer and sat on their bed, considering him with a mix of hurt, fatigue and impatience.

Sergio tried to sort out his thoughts and feelings, taking in Raquel on their bed. _Their_ bed. It struck him that if he had to do it all over again, he wouldn’t change a thing. For all the pain they went through, he’d gladly go through it all again as long as they would end up in that very moment. Raquel here, in _their_ bedroom, giving him one, and he knew it was only one, chance at explaining himself before she ripped into him. 

“I wouldn’t change a thing.”

He blurted out the words and she flinched, frowning in confusion. “What?”

He thought back to the year and a half they spent apart, when all he could think about was the death of his brother and how he’d let Raquel slip through his fingers, until he’d finally made the decision to fight for her. He would always fight for her.

“That’s what the mess made me realise.”

Raquel shook her head, not following his chain of thought, not today. She hadn’t slept well. Paula had had a nightmare, and had woken up crying, with a million questions about her father, Madrid, and why they couldn’t go back. Once she’d finally gotten the girl back to sleep, she’d been left overtaken by memories and regrets, and even returning to Sergio’s warm embrace hadn’t been able to shake her out of it. 

She felt raw, and like she was wearing her heart on her sleeve. So Sergio’s words, that she’d brought a mess to his life, cut. And they cut deep. It seemed like messing up people’s lives was what she did nowadays: her daughter’s, her mother’s, and now Sergio’s too.

Sergio wasn’t used to hurting Raquel this way; she always had a comeback ready for him. Or when he refused to let her in when he was feeling overwhelmed for reasons unknown to either of them, she usually managed to patiently coax out of him whatever had, as she put it, “crawled up his ass”. But not this day. Today it was evidently up to him, and he felt woefully unequipped for it, not to mention inept. 

But he did know that with Raquel, honesty was always the way to go, the only real way to move forward. He took a deep breath and crouched down in front of her, clasping the hands that were resting on her lap, thankful she didn’t pull away.

“I’m sorry, Raquel.”

She sighed, looking at him warily. “Just say what’s on your mind, Sergio.”

“I… I was standing in the doorway, taking in our bedroom. It’s messy Raquel. Not unreasonably messy, but messier than I’ve ever kept any of my rooms.”

Raquel huffed and slid her hands from underneath his, “So, I’m messy.”

“Shit Raquel, no.” Why couldn’t he get this right? He shook his head, and tried again. “I mean yes, you are a little messy. But you’re _my_ mess.”

The grimace as she shook her head told him he wasn’t doing very well.

“Shit. I’m sorry, that’s not what I meant.” 

He removed his glasses to buy time, and to have something to occupy his hands. He cleaned them, and put them back on. He could tell her patience was wearing thin, and it only made him more anxious.

He sat next to her on the bed. “What I meant, was that I was looking at our bedroom, _our bedroom_ Raquel, I’m not sure you know how much that still means to me… And I saw traces of you, of Paula, of our life together, everywhere.”

He snuck his hand around her waist, letting it rest on her lower hip, and scooted closer to her, planting a careful kiss on her temple. 

“By my standards, our house is messy. It wasn’t when only I lived here, and I was miserable. Now, it’s messy, and a part of me gets stressed about it, but the house is alive. And the mess… Well, it’s our mess.”

Raquel let out a puff of air, “It isn’t though. It’s purely a Murillo-mess.”

Sergio nudged her, “That’s my favourite kind of mess.”

She turned to him with teary eyes, and Sergio wondered what he’d missed, if something else was going on. 

“Raquel, what’s wrong? I’m sorry I’m so hopeless at this but I really didn’t mean anything by…”

She placed a hand on his knee and shook her head, granting him a weak smile. She didn’t want to linger in the darkness, had spent far too much time there through the years. She wanted to go towards the light, towards him. 

She laid her head on his shoulder, “Tell me more.”

“Really?”

“Really.” 

Draping his arm around her shoulder, he kissed her hair, smiling at the faint scent of citrus overtaking him.

“You caught me in a moment of pure sentimentality to be honest. All I could see looking around our room was my luck that you came to Palawan, that you continue to put up with me, that we’re building a life together.”

She breathed out, “Oh.”

“That’s what I meant. Before you, there was no mess, no life. And after you… Well.”

“It got messy.”

“Blissfully so.” Letting his fingers run up and down her arm, he added, “Like I said, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Sighing, she laid down, bringing him with her to lay behind her. She scooted in as close to him as she could and brought his hand up to her lips, clinging to it, as tears began streaming down her face.

“Raquel, are you alright?”

She nodded, “Just hold me.”

He kissed her neck and enveloped her in his arms, whispering in her ear, “Always.”

He eventually felt her breathing even out and her grip on his hand loosen. Sergio tried to piece together what had happened, why she had reacted so strongly to his words. It wasn’t like her to have doubts about what she meant to him, what their lives together meant for him. He brushed away a stray strand of hair, hoping to find answers in her face, when Paula’s voice rang through the room.

“Mom, can you help me with my home…” Paula stopped in the doorway, “What’s going on?”

Sergio slid away from Raquel, careful not to wake her, covered her with a blanket and walked over to Paula, leading her out of the room.

“Nothing Paula, your mom just needed to rest for a bit.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure, I’ll ask her when she wakes up.”

“Is she sad?”

Sergio eyed the girl curiously as he pulled the door behind them, leaving it ajar, knowing Raquel would want to hear life in the house when she woke up.

“Why do you say that?”

She shrugged as they headed to her room. “I don’t know… She hugged me really tight when she dropped me off at school. And she looked sad.”

 _Shit._

Paula had had a nightmare that night, and Raquel had crawled back into bed with him sighing, muttering curse words about Alberto.

She would always feel guilty when she was reminded of the fact that she’d uprooted Paula. She’d probably been carrying it with her all day, while he, utterly oblivious, ended up cracking jokes about the messes she tended to leave in her wake. He cursed himself and wanted to go back, wake her up, tell her what an idiot he was and what a wonderful mother, daughter, and partner she was. He wanted to keep repeating it until she bloody well believed him. 

Looking down at Paula though, he realised that the best thing he could do for Raquel after having fucked up was to let her rest, help Paula with her homework, and be there for her when she woke up, hoping that she’d let him. 

“You know how you sometimes get sad thinking about Madrid, and your dad?”

Paula nodded. Raquel had told him early on that Paula was bound to have questions and occasionally get solemn thinking about the life they left behind, and that they needed to normalise it for her. That as much as it might hurt them, it wasn’t a subject they should tip-toe around. Paula needed to know that there was no need to hide her feelings, that she could voice her concerns, and talk to them both about the past.

“I think it might be the same for your mom. That she thought of something from before, and that it made her sad.”

“I don’t like it when she’s sad.”

“Neither do I Paula…” He ran a hand over her hair and placed a kiss on the top of her head. About a month prior, he’d gotten caught up in the moment coming home one day, finding her sitting at her desk, studying. He’d walked up to greet her, and kissed the top of her head before he realised what he was doing. He’d frozen immediately but she hadn’t reacted, merely said “Hi Sergio.” And he’d hesitantly started doing it when he felt like it since. Much to his delight, she never seemed to mind.

“Did you say you needed help with your homework?”

“Uh-hum. It’s math, but it’s really difficult, maybe even for you.”

Sergio bit back a chuckle, “Alright, let’s have a look and see if we can figure it out together.”

Raquel woke up in an empty bed, missing the warmth of Sergio’s body wrapped around her. Sitting up with a sigh, she ran a hand through her hair and looked around the room. 

It really wasn’t all that messy… 

She shook her head, a hint of a smile on her lips, and got up to splash some water on her face. Staring at her own reflection, she realised the sharp pain she’d carried with her all day was gone, but that she was left with a dull ache and a lingering doubt that she had made the right decisions for her daughter.

She walked through the house, and found Sergio, Paula, and her mother sitting on the patio, Paula leaning into her grandmother as she was being read Harry Potter aloud. Getting up as he spotted her, Sergio framed her face, placed a soft kiss on her lips and, his thumb stroking her cheek, gazed into her eyes with such sincerity it made her breath hitch.

“I’m sorry.”

Sensing all that went into that apology, she nodded with a small smile. Grateful that he was there, that he tried to understand, that he’d held her, that he was sitting with her daughter and mother, listening to the adventures of Harry Potter, genuinely invested, she patted his chest and led him to the daybed where they sat down. Settling into his side, she brought his arm around her, holding on to his hand. He leaned down, left a kiss at the corner of her mouth, and she let the combination of his smell, her mother’s voice, and the sound of the ocean anchor her to the present.


	10. Curious minds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe, I don’t know where this baby-craving is coming from but really, there won’t be any in this story. Sorry to disappoint, but am attempting to be consistent with On solid grounds, and in the epilogue I established there were none… Really appreciate the enthusiasm though 
> 
> Thank you for reading and for the ever so sweet and much appreciated comments <3

Raquel came home to a quiet house. Her mother was sitting outside with her nurse, but Paula and Sergio’s usual chatter didn’t fill the house. She checked her watch, but no, Paula should be back from school and on a normal day, she would in this instance be emphatically recounting what she’d learned at school. 

Raquel loved catching their school day exchanges. Sergio clearly enjoyed that the girl was currently like a sponge, eagerly absorbing everything she heard, saw and was taught. He was keen to hear how her teachers would approach various topics, and was genuinely interested in hearing Paula’s take on things, encouraging her to reflect and form her own opinions, rather than simply relaying what others had told her.

Raquel let her mother know that she was back, but Mariví wasn’t having the best of days and gave her a confused look, not realising that she’d been gone for the better half of the day. Sighing, she kissed her mother’s cheek and caressed her hand, then went in search for Sergio and Paula. 

She found them in Sergio’s study, hunched over a newspaper. Sergio was sitting and Paula was standing next to him, a hand on his shoulder and leaning into him slightly, his arm around her waist. The sight warmed her heart. The fact that the two naturally got along was a constant source of joy for Raquel, not to mention an immense relief. She had no idea what they would’ve done if Paula had refused to accept Sergio, or if he had been unable to connect with her, given that interactions and connections didn’t come easily for him. She leaned into the doorframe, smiling, hoping they wouldn’t discover her quite yet.

“So, what do you think?”

“I don’t know.”

“Ok. How much did you understand?”

Paula scrunched her nose and shrugged, leaning further into him. Sergio handed her a marker and she moved to stand in front of him as she took it from him. Raquel could tell her daughter was concentrating and she began highlighting a handful of sections as Sergio peered over her shoulder. She put the cap back on the marker and got her notebook out while Sergio reached for the dictionary.

Raquel relished the sight of the two of them working together in this quiet complicity. She knew Sergio had devised this method to help her with her English, and to have an opportunity to discuss current events with her. He would select an article in the newspaper, they would read it together, then Paula would look up the words she didn’t understand, and they’d first discuss the contents of the article, before moving on to their thoughts on it.

“You got it?”

The girl nodded and slid her notebook for him to see as well.

“Ok, that looks good. Now if you read the article again, knowing those words, what can you deduce.”

Paula squinted at the article, tracing the text with her finger and stopping to examine her notes.

“There are monkeys at a zoo in…. Malaysia. The zoo changed the food they give them, and the monkeys didn’t like the new kind of food. They didn’t eat for a few days.”

Her face fell slightly, “Poor monkeys.”

Sergio poked her in the stomach, “It’s like when we try to get you to eat your broccoli.” Paula giggled and Sergio nudged her, “Keep going.”

Paula returned to the article and soon burst out laughing. “They broke out! The monkeys broke out!”

“They did.”

“Monkeys must be really smart.”

“I agree. Do you know, the orangutang is considered to be the smartest monkey, although it’s actually not a monkey but an ape.”

“What’s the difference?”

“Well, they’re part of the same family. They’re all primates. But for instance if it has a tail, then it’s a monkey, not an ape. Though there are some monkeys that don’t have a tail.”

“Oh.” Paula returned her attention to the article, then looked up at him. “It doesn’t say if they had tails.”

“Hmmm… Does it say what kind of monkey or ape it is?”

Paula read the article again, and shook her head. 

“We could call the zoo and ask them tomorrow…”

Paula nodded enthusiastically, and he asked her, “How long do you think they planned their escape for?”

Paula scrunched her face as she looked at him, “I don’t know. What do you think?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know how monkeys think.”

“It would be really cool to know that.”

Chuckling, he nodded. “I agree… How do you feel about zoos?”

“I love them! I love seeing all the animals. What about you?”

“Mmmm… I like seeing the animals too, but I don’t like seeing them in cages.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s true.” Paula thought about it for a beat, then added, “They wouldn’t have had to break out, if they hadn’t been in cages.”

Raquel caught Sergio beaming with pride at her daughter.

“That’s a good point, Paula.”

“Hmmm…”

He nudged her, “You don’t have to decide now, we can talk about it some more tonight.”

“Okay. Let’s see what mom says too.”

He chuckled, “Let’s.” Closing the dictionary, he nudged his glasses. “Alright. Do you have a lot of homework today?”

“No.”

“Good, how about you get it done before your mother gets home, and then we can prepare dinner together as a surprise for her.”

Paula nodded, shut her notebook, turned to plant a kiss on his cheek, and scooted out from behind the table, catching sight of Raquel as she did.

“Mom!”

Paula came up to her and Raquel squeezed her daughter, brushing hair off her face. “Hi baby.”

“We were going to surprise you.”

“Oh? With what?”

“You didn’t hear?”

Raquel shook her head, “No.”

Paula looked back at Sergio with a mischievous grin and gave him a thumbs up before heading out. Raquel sauntered into the room with slow steps, aware that Sergio’s gaze was trailed on her.

“Lying to your daughter now, are you Raquel?”

She ran her fingers over some of the books in his library, “I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

He tutted, “Lying to your child, simply to get out of making dinner.”

Her nonchalant shrug making him chuckle, he reached out and pulled her down to his lap, causing her to yelp. He placed a kiss at the corner of her mouth.

“How did your errands go?”

“Fine. How was English?”

“Good, she’s really coming along. I honestly don’t really think she needs these sessions anymore.” Rubbing her arm absentmindedly, he smiled widely, “She kissed me on the cheek.”

Raquel ran her fingers through his hair as she softly answered, “I saw…”

He kissed her shoulder, “She hasn’t done that before.”

“She hasn’t?”

He shook his head and tightened his grip on her. 

“Are you really going to call the zoo?”

Grinning, he asked, “How long were you standing there for?”

“Hmmm… A while.”

“A while huh?”

She nodded and leaned in, hovering above his lips, brushing her nose against his, taking him in as she did. He was sporting that small smile she couldn’t resist, the one that was shy and excited all at once, and that never failed to remind her of just how much she adored this man. She let her hand come up to caress his cheek and he closed his eyes, humming.

For Raquel, these quiet, intimate moments where overwhelming in their simplicity. They were solely about them, about stealing a quiet instant only they were privy to. She was going to join her mother soon, he was going to get dinner started but, in that instance, the outside world didn’t exist. It was just her and Sergio. Casting him one more look him, she finally closed the gap between them and captured his lips in a soft kiss.


	11. Her side

Raquel was fuming. Sergio had been prickly for days and had utterly refused to open up about what his problem was, and she’d bloody well had it. It was Saturday, and that morning he had begrudgingly agreed to accompany her and Paula to the market. She was not about to be put in the position of being that partner, the one who has to force him to spend time with them, the one that he could then whine about to his friends over a drink. Not that he had any friends, but that was neither here nor there. So she had, in her opinion quite magnanimously, let him off the hook and told him not to bother, that he could stay home. 

She had enjoyed strolling through the market with Paula and had decided to calmly sit Sergio down later in the afternoon, to find out what was bothering him, only to come home and discover that he had had lunch on his own in their absence, leaving the dishes in the sink.

She put the groceries in the kitchen, told Paula to join her grandmother and Popcorn outside, and headed down the hall, knowing exactly where she would find the man in question. She’d find him where he’d spent the past two days hiding from them all, in his fucking study. His little refuge. His version of a man-cave. Raquel huffed, her anger and annoyance rising with every step.

She threw the door open and shut it with a bang. Sergio didn’t even look up, so he knew exactly what was coming and didn’t think he’d done anything wrong. Oh, he was going to be in for it now.

“What the _fuck_ , Sergio.”

Eyes glued to his papers, notes, or whatever the hell he was so concentrated on, he had the nerve to answer her nonchalantly, “What?”

Raquel huffed, “Really. You’re not even going to look at me?”

Sergio calmly put his pen down, clasped his hands, and looked at her with a cold stare.

 _Fuck._

She recognised who she was facing, knew what happened when he was too overwhelmed to deal with his emotions. The Professor in him would come out, and he would act like everything could be approached from a rational standpoint, too damn obstinate to see that the very reason he retreated into the Professor was that he had feelings, just like the rest of the damn world.

She held her hand up, shaking her head, and sneered, “Don’t.”

“Don’t what, Raquel. You asked me to look at you, and so I’m looking.”

She took a deep breath, shaking with anger. She couldn’t argue with him when he was like this, an impenetrable fucking fortress of imagined rationality. Could she slap him? Was that an acceptable thing to do when your partner acted like a complete jackass? Because she undoubtedly needed to do something to shake him out of this state.

“Fine.” She smiled bitterly as she devised a strategy and sat down opposite him, snatching up a pencil from his desk. “That’s the way you want to play it?” Shaping her hair into a ponytail, she twisted it around the pencil, secured it, took a deep breath, and raised an eyebrow at him, “Let’s dance, Professor.”

He flinched. She never called him that in anger, and using the term now had its desired effect. She caught a glimpse of Sergio behind those dark eyes, but it was only a glimpse, and a fleeting one at that. His jaw was set, his shoulders squared, his entire body tense, and she knew she had her work cut out for her. She hadn’t seen him quite like this before, never this bad. She had no idea what had caused it, suspected that he was probably hurting, but at this moment she couldn’t care less. He'd pushed her too far.

“You had lunch.”

“Is that a question?”

“Clearly it isn’t. It’s a statement.” 

She tilted her head, keeping her emotions levelled. If he was going to approach this as the Professor, then she was going to come at him as the Inspector. She wasn’t going to let him get to her, and she was going to puncture every single one of his dumbass assertations. Every fucking last one of them.

She offered him a generous, albeit sarcastic, smile. “One which I’m giving you the opportunity to respond to.”

Sergio shifted slightly and Raquel kept her expression neutral, focusing on her breathing.

“I don’t think there’s much to respond to.”

“Really?”

“Really. It was just lunch.”

“I see.”

She knew from the time she’d had him tied up in that house in Toledo that he wasn’t one to ramble on when he was nervous, that she couldn’t wait him out, not this early in the game.

She calmly stated, “We usually have lunch together.”

“You weren’t here.”

“That’s undeniable. But you knew we were coming home.”

He didn't shrug, nor display any form of emotion as he answered her in an even voice, “I was hungry.”

“Well, that’s certainly not something I can argue with, now is it?”

He was closing every door on her, but she was going to pry one open. She realised he was being hyper-logical and no arguments would work on him, so she was going to have to destabilise him. And that was something she could do in her sleep.

“I have a proposition for you.”

“Alright, I’m all ears.”

“You answer one question for me, and I’ll drop all of this.”

He looked at her, clearly doubting that she’d stick to her word. “Really.”

“Really. One question, and I’ll go back to our groceries and prepare lunch for Paula and my mother, and will leave you alone for the afternoon.”

He had the nerve to smirk, convinced he had the upper hand. Oh, she had not missed this side of him. “Alright then, go ahead.”

She stood, placed her hands on the desk, and leaned on it, eyes boring into him. “What the _fuck_ crawled up your ass?”

That did the trick. He looked away and swallowed hard. She sat back in the chair and they stared each other down in silence, until Sergio finally sighed. “Look Raquel, I have a lot of work to do.”

“Mmmm… So, would you like me to go?" As he nodded unsurely, she added, "Yet you haven’t answered my question.”

Something shifted in his eyes but he still didn’t seem able to convey much of anything, which suited Raquel just fine. Now that he was receptive, he was going to hear her out.

“Should I tell you what I’d like? Hmm, Professor?” 

He nudged his glasses, his eyes darting around the room, and she knew she had him. She was now face to face with Sergio, not the Professor, and him she could, and bloody well would, fight with.

“I would like for my partner to have the emotional maturity to talk to me when he’s upset. And if he’s angry with me, then I’d sure as shit like it if he were able to communicate that in a more productive way than simply hiding in his study, avoiding me, and my daughter, for two days.”

The mention of Paula broke the camel's back. It was a dirty trick, but she was far beyond caring. Two days were one and a half days too much. His head yanked, his gaze landed on her, and he looked genuinely crushed. If she hadn't been quite so angry, that look would've made her forgive him on the spot, but two days had passed and his behaviour had genuinely hurt her.

“I’m sorry.”

She huffed, “I bet you are. But you know what I am?”

His shoulders dropped, "Pissed.”

“Damn straight.” She shot him a dirty look and, catching his sheepish demeanor, held up a finger, “Oh no you don’t!”

“What?”

“You don’t get to go from an arrogant, emotionally stunted asshole, looking at me with empty eyes, like I am fucking _nothing_ Sergio, to pulling this wounded puppy look. _I_ am not the asshole here!”

“I know, I know…. Look, I…”

“Save it, I don’t want to hear it.” 

She got up and headed to the door but he followed her with a few swift steps and put his hand on hers just as she reached for the handle. 

He locked the door and removed the pencil from her hair, letting it drop to the floor. Her hair falling down, he carefully brushed it over one shoulder. Her neck exposed, he slowly bent down and began leaving cautious, soft kisses there. 

Raquel cursed him quietly, before sighing in resignation. “You have a family now. Retrieving into your shell and treating us like shit is not an option.” 

His hands ran up and down her arms as he continued kissing her neck. He had barely touched her in two days, and his fingers burned against her skin. The bastard knew exactly what he was doing, knew that she was a twisted knot of tension, and that if he got close enough she wouldn’t be able to resist putting all of that pent up energy into fucking him.

His voice vibrated against her skin as his arms came around her, pressing her to him. "I know Raquel, I know." 

Turning in his arms as he backed her up against the wall, she put her hands on either side of his face and forced him to look at her. “We’re not done with this.”

He picked her up, pinning her against the wall, seemingly craving the contact as much as she did. “I know.” 

She kissed him angrily, her tongue darting into his mouth before withdrawing again. She bit into his lower lip, making him groan. He answered by kissing her roughly, hiking up her dress as she freed his growing member. The sensation of him filling her pushed aside the anger, the hurt, and her desire to strangle him for the few rough thrusts it took him to finish, having evidently been as pent up as her.

As he pulled out and let her down, he leaned his forehead against hers, his hand cradling the back of her head. He breathed deeply and his voice conveyed all the emotions she imagined he'd kept bottled up in the past two days. 

“I'm sorry, Raquel... I love you more than I ever thought... I'm..." He paused, kissed the corner of her mouth, and added, "I’ll come help with lunch.”

She let a hand run down his arm before straightening out her dress, scoffing softly, “You fucking better.”

The sharp rage may have been gone, quite literally fucked out of her, but the anger still simmered. 

He was absolutely infuriating, yet he could make her melt with the smallest touch and at moments like these, she didn't know quite how to feel about it. The fact that they could always connect physically meant there was a bridge between them, even through the anger. But she didn't want sex to be a way for them to avoid conflict, for him to keep his feelings to himself. 

With his hands on her hips though, thumbs regretfully tracing circles through the fabric of her dress as his eyes sought hers out, he silently conveyed that he would do better, that he would open up to her. She was again hit by the depth of their relationship, by how connected they were to one another, and it reminded of the fact that sex wasn't a way of avoiding intimacy but rather, that their bodies were sometimes able to convey truth between them when their minds could not. 

She grabbed his chin with one hand and pulled him down to her, planting two quick, rough pecks on his lips. 

Turning, she opened the door and walked out, Sergio closely behind her, a hand cautiously placed on her lower back. Raquel sighed, why the fuck did she have to love him so much? She couldn't escape this, could never escape him. She'd told him months ago that she was stuck with him, and she truly was. 

She snuck her hand into his, and gave it a small squeeze to reassure him that they were still in this together, hearing his sigh of relief at the gesture.


	12. His side

It was Thursday afternoon, Popcorn had gotten into his study and clawed his way through some of his notes, Raquel was cooking and being pestered by Paula who wanted to go to a sleepover that evening, Mariví was setting the table but was not having a clear day and kept interrupting Raquel with questions about what they were doing. An annoyed Raquel asked him to help her mother, and Sergio froze. 

It was too much. 

There was too much activity, too much chaos, a complete lack of order, and it was overwhelming. Hoping the feeling would pass, he helped Mariví set the table, had dinner with his family and did the dishes. But the anxiousness remained, and he excused himself, retreating to his study. Raquel eventually came by to ask him if he was coming to bed but he shook his head, saying he still had things to do. He didn’t, but he desperately needed space, time to sort out whatever was wrong with him. For the first time since she moved into their bedroom, he deliberately waited until he was fairly certain she’d be asleep to go to bed.

He woke up to the same feeling and quickly got up, not able to face Raquel in their bed, knowing the disappointment he’d see there as he’d inevitably fail to live up to the man she deserved. She asked him if anything was wrong after breakfast, but he simply shook his head in response, and spent the entire day, and evening, in his study, door closed, only coming out for meals. 

He had always been alone, and this was too much. He needed time by himself, to sort out his thoughts. Once he’d done that, he’d talk to Raquel, if there was a need for it. It was a rational plan, it made no sense to talk to her before he’d gotten some clarity.

He had no idea why he felt the way he did, all he knew was that if he spoke, he’d end up saying all the wrong things and pissing her off. Or worst, hurt her. So, he kept his mouth shut, withdrew, and tried to internally reason his way through the emotional turmoil.

On Saturday though, he noticed Raquel was getting annoyed with him, and told himself he’d sort out his feelings while she and Paula were at the market. It didn’t go well and, wanting to buy time, he had lunch before they got back, hoping to spend a few more hours sorting himself out before approaching her. He was getting nowhere though. He couldn’t figure out why he felt anxious, prickly, and annoyed. He had everything he’d never even knew he wanted, everything he hadn’t dare to dream of after finding the house in Morocco empty. Everything he’d been painfully aware he might have very well lost for good in that month and a half before she and Paula joined him in Palawan. 

He heard them come home and tried to focus, knowing he was running out of time. But then she burst through the door, and he knew he was in for it. He wasn’t ready, hadn’t managed to devise a way forward yet, hadn’t sorted out his feelings. And before he knew it, he’d retreated even further into himself. 

He spoke to her as if they were negotiating together, the Inspector and the Professor. As if she wasn’t his partner, wasn’t the woman who let him explore every nook of her body, the woman he could never tire of talking to, never tire of debating, never tire of laughing with.

She surprised him though, beat him at his own game, shook him out of shell. But she was angry, exceedingly so, and when she turned to leave, he didn't want to let her walk out just yet, not like that. Overcome with a need to be close to her, and turned on by seeing her in full Inspector mode, he quickly got up and stopped her. Removing the pencil from her hair, he knew they weren’t done arguing. But he also knew her body, knew just what they both needed to reconnect, to get the worst of the tension out of their systems, and tried his luck, pressing a kiss to her neck. 

True to his word, he joined them at lunch and to his surprise found spending time with Raquel, Mariví and Paula, his _family_ , the word still seemed foreign, actually eased some of his worries. He struggled accepting what he’d put Raquel through, but even more so what he’d put Paula through. 

Raquel’s words, that he’d ignored the girl, had hit him full force and he was desperate to make it up to her. The girl had a playdate that afternoon and he offered to take her, wanting to spend some time with her. Paula didn’t seem to hold anything against him as she happily chatted away about her expectations for the afternoon, and recounted one of her and Popcorn’s adventures from the previous day. She managed to increasingly set him at ease, but his heart broke when Paula asked him if he was feeling better just as he dropped her off. He pulled the girl in for a hug, told her that he did, and apologised for being absent, promising he’d be the one to come pick her up later in the afternoon.

He got home and found Raquel sitting on the beach, arms around her knees, eyes closed, face tilted towards the sun. He didn’t know how to approach her, but he needed to be close to her, needed to lean on her. He couldn’t do this without her help, without her strength. 

He sat behind her, one leg on each side and wrapped his arms around her. He felt her tense slightly and knew she was still angry with him. But she didn’t pull away, which meant she was giving him a chance to open up. He sighed and buried his face in the crook of her neck.

“I’m sorry.”

“Mmm… You said that already.”

He nodded. He still didn’t know where to start, but she was waiting for him to continue and he had to try.

“I don’t know what happened.”

“Ok.”

This was impossibly difficult for him and he laced his fingers with hers, silently asking for her help.

She spoke softly, “Why don’t you walk me through it.”

He squeezed her closer and she leaned her head against his in response.

“Popcorn had messed up papers in my study… I… I came into the kitchen and there was so much going on that I just… I don’t know Raquel, it was too much. I didn’t know where I belonged, and there was chaos everywhere, and…”

He sighed, ashamed of his behaviour, of his inability to handle normal domestic situations.

She untangled one hand from his and brought it up to his face, letting her fingers play with his beard. “That’s it?”

He nodded, “I know it’s not right. We’re a family and I need to be able to handle these situations, but I couldn’t… I didn’t know why I couldn’t, why I felt that way, so I tried to figure it out. I thought I needed time Raquel, but it didn’t help, I could make neither heads nor tails out of it.”

“And now?”

He sighed, closing his eyes. “I still don’t have a solution.”

He thought his answer would frustrate her, but she leaned back against him and even turned to place a kiss in his hair.

“You’re such an idiot.”

“I know.”

“I don’t think you do. Sergio, there aren’t solutions to things like this.”

“There has to be.”

She chuckled, “You would think that…”

She let one hand run up and down his arm. “Actually, you’re not entirely wrong, there is a solution, just not the kind you’re thinking of.”

“Oh?”

She hummed, “It’s communication Sergio, it’s that simple. You got overwhelmed, which is completely normal, I was as well that evening. I snapped at Paula, I snapped at you, I didn’t have any patience with my mother, I even shoved Popcorn off the sofa when he was lying where I meant to sit… But tell me, did isolating yourself from us make you feel any better?”

“No. It made it worse.”

“Right. I’ve told you before you can’t fix every problem. Sometimes it’s just a difficult day for everyone, sometimes you just need to vent, sometimes you need time by yourself, other times you need a second pair of eyes on a situation. But the thing is, you have to talk to me. If you need time, you can have time. But you _cannot_ withdraw from us for two days. That just isn’t an option. You don’t have to know exactly what’s going on, why you’re feeling certain things, but you need to talk to me.”

“I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“I understand that, but you ended up hurting me far more.”

He placed several kisses on her neck. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”

“I know...” Playing with his fingers, she continued softly, “And I’m not oblivious to the fact that this is entirely new to you, that you’ve had to adjust far more than the rest of us.”

“You’re not mad?”

She chuckled, “Oh, I wouldn’t say that… But I understand that this isn’t easy for you, and the anger… It’s subsiding.”

“Ok, good.”

He had no idea how she did that, how she managed to alleviate his pain just by listening to him, talking to him, letting him draw strength from her, allowing him to anchor himself to her physically. But she did. Whether he deserved it or not, she was there with him, angry, yet patient, caring and sensible. Sitting on the beach with her in his arms, the anxiousness and feeling of being out of place slowly dissipated, and he kissed her temple in gratitude.

They’d gone to bed quietly, still reeling from the emotions of the past two days. She had kissed him goodnight and left an arm draped over his chest as she fell asleep. He woke when the blue light of dawn crept into the room. Raquel was on her side, facing away from him and he took the chance to consider her as she slept. 

He was amazed at her ability to navigate him. Even today, when he’d lost himself in his emotions and retreated into the Professor, she’d found a way. She’d refused to give in until she got through to him, and he was overcome with his love and desire for her.

He’d missed her in the past two days, missed her touch, missed their complicity. He left a small kiss on her shoulder, trying out the waters, waiting to see how she’d react. She stirred and turned slightly to him with a hum. Her fingers came up to graze his cheek as he leaned in and hovered over her. He admired her a little longer, amazed that she would trust him like this, that she would let her other senses guide her as her eyes remained closed. He finally bridged the gap between them and she welcomed his kiss, his tongue carefully, meticulously starting to explore her mouth. 

He positioned himself over her, cradling her face, happy to just be kissing her and feeling her arms run lightly up and down his bare back. Eventually needing to feel all of her against him, he slipped her nightgown over her head. He kissed and nipped his way up to her face and finally captured her lips again, as he gently started entering her. 

Sex with a sleepy Raquel was deliciously slow, intimate, deliberate. She hummed, smiling, let him set the pace and happily accepted him into her with soft moans, their hands linked.


	13. Pick-up lines

She poked him with her foot, “Go on then, tell me!”

“Raquel please.”

“Don’t “Raquel please”- me. Just tell me.”

He shrugged, “There’s nothing to tell.”

They were sitting on the porch with a glass of wine each, Paula and Mariví watching a movie inside. Raquel was sitting on the opposite side of the daybed, turned to him, waiting for him to elaborate.

“You know me, do you really imagine me walking up to any woman, let alone with a pick-up line?”

She shot him a challenging look, “You did it with me?”

He shifted uncomfortably, “That was different.”

“Why?”

“Because I was on a mission.”

She scoffed, “Don’t I know it. A mission to get into my pants.”

Shaking his head, Sergio tried to reason with her. “Raquel, I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that that isn’t why I approached you.”

She waved him off, and he added, “Getting into your pants was a very unexpected, albeit fortunate and exceedingly pleasant, turn of events.”

This earned him a light laugh before she shifted, bringing both feet up, and squinted at him. “Alright, fine. Let’s say I accept that you hadn’t planned for us to sleep together.” She took a sip of her wine. “But… Can you honestly tell me you didn’t want to get me into bed after that first meeting?” 

Utterly taken aback by the question, Sergio huffed, eyes darting back and forth, desperate to avoid her gaze. “I… I…”

Amused, she tilted her head, eyebrows raised, “You… You… What?”

She nudged him with her foot again. “After all this time, not to mention the number of times you’ve seen me naked, you still can’t admit that you’ve always been attracted to me? It was over two years ago Sergio!”

As he didn’t answer, she added, “Hmm?”

With Sergio keeping his gaze firmly trailed on the ocean, she rolled her eyes and brought him back to their original topic. “Fine. But didn’t your brother at some point manage to fill your head with nonsense about how to approach women?”

Sergio shifted uncomfortably, “He tried, but didn’t succeed.”

Attempting to divert the attention away from him, he turned to her, “What about you Raquel? What is the worst pick-up line anyone’s ever used on you?”

Raquel thought about it, and grinned as she deadpanned. “Do you want to use mine?”

This earned her a hearty laugh from Sergio, “It can’t have been that bad… It worked, didn’t it?”

Her face broke out in a wide smile, “So you admit it was a pick-up line?”

Sergio chuckled. She was always trying to convince him that he had seduced her, while he knew without a doubt it had been the other way around. “I’ll admit it, if you admit that it worked.”

She huffed, “It didn’t… You lending me your phone was kind. Well, no, it was a very calculated move.” She shot him a pointed look, “I thought it was kind at the time, but no, that’s not what got me all hot and bothered for you.”

Intrigued, he wanted to hear more. “Oh really? And what achieved that then?”

Head tilted, she squinted as she pursed her lips and considered him softly, taken back to the moment that for her had set off the motions for the most significant relationship of her life.

“That lunch after I stole your phone. I couldn’t believe how easy you were to talk to… The fact that you got me to laugh, in spite of everything. That you believed me. And that when I took your hand, a shot of… something, rushed through me. I couldn’t get you out of my head after that.” 

Taken aback by her honesty and tenderness, the teasing momentarily set aside, he was finally able to admit to them both, “You’re right Raquel.”

“Hmmm?”

He grabbed her ankles and pulled her closer to him, placing her legs over his lap and resting one of his hands on her hips as she leaned into the sofa, one hand under her chin. 

“I may have shoved those feelings so far aside I didn’t recognise them, and not even in my wildest imagination would I have thought it a possibility... But yes, I was immediately very attracted to you. Intrigued, but undoubtedly very attracted as well.”

She looked at him softly and stretched out the arm resting on the side of the daybed, settling it on him and fiddling with the hair at the nape of his neck. “When did you become aware of it though?”

“Aware of what.”

She rolled her eyes and pinched his neck, “Of the fact that you were desperate to sleep with me.”

Chuckling, he nudged his glasses. This still didn’t come easily to him. “I think I realised it getting ready for our first date, which I was nervously looking forward to. But it became undeniable when you told me to look under the table.”

Raquel threw her head back, laughing heartily. “Oh! You should’ve seen your face. It was… Incredible. Amazing. I should’ve taken a photo.”

“Before, or after, I saw that you had your gun trailed on me?”

“Before. You looked like a kid whose parents had told him he could enter a candy store and eat all he wanted, but who didn’t quite trust he’d really be allowed to do so.”

“I think that’s a fairly accurate description of how I felt.”

She bit her lip. “What I wouldn’t give to see that face again.”

Sergio didn’t care one bit for the grin forming on her face. “Raquel, don’t.”

Shooting him an innocent look, she asked, “What?”

“Please don’t plan anything to recreate that face.”

She scrunched her nose. “Why not? That face really made me want to jump your bones.”

He smiled shily, “Really?”

She nodded at the memory and scooted closer, leaning into him, “Oh yes, it was entirely irresistible.”

He knew what the smirk she was sporting and the fact that her eyes were trailed on his lips meant. He cleared his throat, “Raquel.”

She licked her lips and it took all he had not to kiss her, but he knew how quickly things were likely to get out of hand. He never had any resolve when it came to resisting her. That fact had been proven to him over and over again through their relationship.

He swallowed hard, “Your mother and Paula are right inside.”

“They’re watching a movie, they won’t notice a thing.”

His jaw dropped and he huffed in shock, unsure of how to deal with the situation. 

Raquel hovered close for a bit before she laughed, kissed him chastely, and patted his chest. “Not bad. Not as good as at the Hanoi, but not bad at all.”

She settled back, her legs still in his lap, leaving Sergio gaping after her incredulously.

“Raquel, what the..?”

She shrugged, “I told you I wanted to see it again.” As he pouted, she stroke the back of his neck, “Don’t be mad Sergio.” 

She took a sip of her wine and winked, “I did it for science… And I can now confirm that face still very much makes me want to jump your bones.”

Sergio shook his head and scoffed, this woman was going to be his undoing. “You did it for science…”

She nodded, rather pleased with herself. “But don’t worry, I’ll wait to jump you until my mother and Paula are in bed.”

He took hold of her hand and played with her fingers, unable to keep a grin from forming, “Now that I very much look forward to.”


	14. Keeping one's word

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the sweet comments, and for reading and leaving kudos <3
> 
> Had absolutely no intention of writing this, but then one reader put it in my head and here we are. If you like it, credit goes to that reader. If you hate it, well... That's on me really ;)

Sergio was brushing his teeth when Raquel came into the bathroom, having gotten her mother down for the night. She grabbed her toothbrush, applied toothpaste on it, pinched his bum with a wink and sat on the edge of the bathtub. 

He cherished that this was his life. That he could stand in their bathroom, performing the most mundane of tasks, and that she would invade his space in such a delightful way, that she craved contact as much as he did. He loved that she would hum an indiscernible tune as she brushed her teeth, often seeming lost in thought whilst doing it.

Finishing up, he placed a kiss on her temple, and left her the bathroom.

He closed their bedroom door and changed into his pyjama bottoms, carefully placing his clothes on his chair that, for once, was free and in its right place, when Raquel came out of the bathroom. She began turning up the covers and removing pillows, clearly getting ready for bed. Sergio cleared his throat.

“Raquel?”

“Mmmm?”

“Did you forget something?”

Brow burrowed in confusion, she looked around the room. “Did I? What?”

“Well, uhm…” He ran a hand through his beard, “I believe there was a promise of my bones getting jumped tonight.”

“Oh!” She burst out laughing, “Feeling a little frisky, are we?”

He shook his head, “Not at all, I’m merely trying to help you keep your word.”

“Ah yes, of course.” She bit her lip and squinted at him, taking slow steps towards him. “How very considerate of you.”

“I aim to please, Raquel.”

Coming up to him, she looked him up and down with hungry eyes.

“Mmmm, don’t I know it.”

She let her hands trace his torso before moving up to his shoulders and running down his arms, sending shivers of pleasure through him. She slowly came in and nibbled at his neck, as his hands travelled down her body, coming down to cup her ass. She tilted her head up with a smirk, eyes dark, and he kissed her hungrily. 

Lost in the feel of her tongue in his mouth and her nails digging into his shoulder, he groaned in regret as she pulled away.

“Oh, I forgot.” He managed to sneak in two more kisses as she spoke against his lips, “I have things to do.”

She patted his upper arm and turned away from him, making him huff in disbelief. “Raquel…”

She took a few steps towards the door, but he quickly caught up with her and enveloped a laughing Raquel from behind, growling in her ear, “Those things you have to do better be me.”

Still laughing, with one hand in his beard and the other covering the one he was running over her stomach, she tilted her head back.

“Oh really?”

His breath hot on her neck, his low voice reverberated through her, jolting her body awake.

“Really. A man can only take so much teasing Raquel.”

“Teasing? Really Sergio, I don’t…”

She didn’t manage to finish her sentence as he snuck a hand underneath her top. He cupped her breast and played with her hard nipple, while tugging at her earlobe with his teeth, causing her to gasp.

Smirking, he murmured, “You don’t what?”

He was pressing his growing erection against her and she was quickly becoming dizzy, heart pounding, his scent and touch intoxicating.

She’d had in mind to toy with him, to put him through blissful agony until he was about to combust, but he had flipped the tables on her. He was taking control and she found herself completely at his mercy. 

He chuckled at her mumbling “Smug bastard” before he captured her lips, kissing her hard and swirling his tongue around hers.

She tried to turn in his arms, but he kept her firmly in place as he broke the kiss.

“Go on then Raquel, tell me all the things you have to do.”

Nipping at her neck he slipped his hand down her trousers, and heard her sharp intake of breath as he pressed two fingers against her clit.

It took all Raquel had to formulate a coherent enough thought to answer him, “Uuhmmm… I have to lock the doors.”

“I did that, my love… What else have you got?”

“Dishes…” He pushed his erection against her again while maintaining the pressure on her clit, and they groaned in unison. 

She released a breath, her voice coarse, “There’s always dishes.”

He chuckled against her neck, but was slowly losing his self-control with every moan that escaped Raquel. She was wet, at his mercy, and shuddered at his every touch. She was entirely irresistible.

He swallowed hard, and bit back a moan as she brought his head down to her and kissed him deeply.

She turned in his arms and let her hands come up to his neck, grabbing a fistful of hair, to deepen the kiss even further, and she was all he knew. He opened his eyes to take her in and every single one of his senses was consumed by her. Her half-opened eyes dark with desire challenging him, her scent, her taste, her moans, the feel of her skin underneath his fingertips. It was all Raquel.

He couldn’t wait anymore, needed to be as close to her as he possibly could be, and the way she clawed at his bare back told him she was as ready as he was. Breaking the kiss, he hurriedly lifted her top over her head while she freed herself of her trousers. Stepping out of his own pyjama-buttons, he backed them up towards the bed. She pushed him down onto it and climbed over him, licking her lips. 

Nails raking against his chest, she rubbed herself against him, their breaths hitching at the friction. She leaned down, kissed him thoroughly for a few blissful seconds then straightened up, flipping her hair over one shoulder, and lifted her hips.

A low groan escaped her lips as she took him in. The sight of her naked body and head tilting back while she moved against him, took him deeper, was sweet torture for Sergio. Sitting up, he met her thrusts, one hand holding back her hair, the other cupping her ass. 

Sucking at her neck, he picked up the pace, knowing from Raquel’s shallow breath and the way she bit her bottom lip that she was as close as he was. He brought a hand between them and began rubbing quick circles on her clit when she bucked her hips, and clenched around him as she climaxed. The sensation of Raquel’s orgasm while he was deep inside her pushed him over the edge and he came with a low growl, holding Raquel’s quivering body close as he emptied himself in her.

Once he’d recovered enough, he planted small kisses on her collarbone, letting his hands lazily trace her back. Coming down from her own high, Raquel pulled back, considered him softly as she caressed his cheek, and kissed him tenderly. He laid them both down, drew the covers over them, and played with her fingers as she snuggled into his side.

“I’m really glad all those things you had to do could wait, Raquel.”

Chuckling, she buried her face in his side. He kissed her hair and before he knew it, drifted off to sleep.


	15. In sickness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With the risk of repeating myself: thank you for reading, and all the sunshine for those who've left comments, they mean SO fucking much!

He was sitting at the kitchen counter when Raquel’s arms snaked around him and a kiss was planted on his neck. He covered her hands with his, smiling and glancing back at her.

“Did you get any sleep?”

She burrowed her nose in his back and sighed, “Not much.”

“How is she?”

“Pretty much the same. Hasn’t been sick in a few hours though, so I’m hoping she’s through the worst of it.” 

“Is Popcorn still with her?”

“Mmmm… Hardly leaves her side.” She yawned loudly and rested more heavily on him, “It’s really fucking cute.”

Chuckling, he was hit by his love for this woman, relishing in feeling her weight on his back. “You have such a way with words, Raquel.”

“Mmm, I know. I’m really putting all those degrees to good use.” Breathing him in, she gave him a brief squeeze before letting go. “I’m just going to get her some crackers and a banana, hopefully she’ll be able to keep something down this time.”

He got up and grabbed her by the waist, directing her to sit in his place, “Let me do it.”

Brow furrowed in a mix of exhaustion and confusion, she uncharacteristically let herself be led to sit, and her chair to be swivelled so she was facing him. 

She only managed a vague protest. “Are you sure? It’s not a pretty sight… She’s needy, whiny, clingy, grumpy…”

Smirking, he answered, “Just the way I like my Murillo-women.”

Raquel scoffed and swatted him on the shoulder. Chuckling, he cradled her face, tilting it up towards him. She immediately closed her eyes, savouring the moment with a content sigh, focusing on the feeling of his right thumb stroking her cheek. He leaned down and kissed her softly.

“You’re exhausted Raquel. Get some sleep, let me help. I’ll stay with Paula.”

She hummed in reply, nodding her head slightly but mostly resting it in his hands. She opened her eyes and brought her hands up to his chest, then let them travel down, landing on his hips. “Ok.”

“Ok?” He looked at her incredulously. “Did Raquel Murillo actually just say ok, and let a man take over?”

She huffed, leaning her forehead against his chest, and released another heavy sigh. “I’m impaired, I can’t be held accountable for my actions.”

Chuckling, he cradled her head, planted a kiss in her hair, and asked, “How about some tea and toast before you get some rest? You haven’t eaten much either.”

“Hmmm… Ok.”

Sergio had never seen her quite so compliant, and he wasn’t sure he liked it. He cherished that she allowed herself to be vulnerable with him, but this? This was a sign of pure exhaustion, worry for Paula, and the toll her daughter’s ails took on her. Paula had caught a stomach bug that had been spreading through her school and Raquel had been at her side throughout it. Luckily, no one else in the household got sick, but the house had been eerily quiet in the past days without Paula’s chatter filling it.

He released her with another kiss, put two slices of the rye bread she liked in the toaster and put the kettle on. He prepared a herbal camomile tea for Raquel and got the crackers, as well as a banana and a glass of water, out for Paula, setting it on a tray. He cut Raquel a slice of mango and half an avocado and set everything out for her as the kettle boiled. 

“Did you finish the book?”

Raquel shook her head, “No. She kept dozing off, so I ended up starting the second to last chapter six times.”

She ran her hands through her hair, “I am _very_ ready to move on from the Prisoner of Azkaban.” She looked at him drowsily, “I will owe you massively if you manage to get through the last two chapters with her.”

“Oh really?”

“Mmmm…”

“And just what kind of reward might I have to look forward to if I do, Raquel?”

She shrugged, “Name your price.” Flinching at the realisation of what she’d just said, she quickly added, “Wait. Come to think of it, no, don’t name your price.” 

Her eyes squinted as she attempted to concentrate, but she clearly came up short and swatted the air with a tired pout. “I got nothing. I’ll have to get back to you on it.”

“Are you really expecting me to accept a deal without the terms being properly negotiated and agreed upon?”

She put her arms on the counter, and laid her head on top of them. “You know I’m good for it.”

Caressing her head from across the counter, he countered, “I’m not so sure about that Raquel…” 

The fact that she tried to debate with him through her exhaustion was impossibly charming and part of him wanted to make the most of the rare opportunity where he had the upper hand. But the sight of her hunched over the counter as he poured the boiling water in her cup tugged at his heart.

“But you are currently delirious, and I wouldn’t dream of taking advantage of you in your weakened state.”

She huffed, “Weakened state, my ass.”

Chuckling, he came around to her side, got her to straighten up as he hugged her from behind, and pushed the toast, mango and tea in front of her.

“Eat something, then rest. I’ll get Paula some food and will read Harry Potter to her.”

“To her, and to Popcorn. He’s on pins and needles about it as well.”

A light laugh escaped him as he brushed hair off her shoulder and leaned down to plant a kiss there, Raquel humming in reply.

“Right, to her and to Popcorn.”

As he reached for the tray, Raquel placed a hand on his arm and considered him gratefully, wearily. “Thank you, Sergio.”

Sergio nodded, picked up the tray and left. He knocked softly on the patient’s door as he walked in. 

“Paula?”

“Sergio?”

“Yes, it’s me.” He came up to her bed and set the tray on her bedside table, Popcorn taking the opportunity to hop off the bed and saunter out of the room.

“I’m really sick, Sergio.”

“I know… Did you manage to get any sleep?”

She picked up his hand and began playing with his fingers as she sighed heavily. “I don’t know.”

With his free hand, Sergio brushed some of the hair of her clammy forehead. “You must be really tired.”

Pouting dramatically, Paula nodded.

“You ready to try to eat something?”

The girl grimaced, shaking her head.

“Can you try for me? You have to get your strength back so that we can finish that science experiment we’ve been working on.”

Paula began sobbing and Sergio’s heart broke a little, though he knew at this point her tears were probably more down to the exhaustion than anything else.

“I know it’s really difficult Paula, and I won’t force you to eat it all. But just try a little and we’ll see how it goes?”

The girl sniffed, “I don’t want to be sick again.”

“I know, I know.” He helped her to sit up and she scooted on the bed, silently making space for him. Touched, he smiled shily as he nudged his glasses and moved to sit next to her, Paula leaning into his side.

“Some water first, then a cracker?”

She answered in the smallest voice he’d ever heard from her. “Ok.”

Sergio handed her a glass of water and watched as she took a few careful sips. He couldn’t stand seeing Paula like this. If there was anything he could’ve done to take the pain instead of her, he would have. This was absolutely unbearable.

She handed him back the glass.

“Good, good.” 

Hoping to keep her mind off of the nausea, he picked up the book on her nightstand. “How about we read a little bit while you try the cracker?” 

“Ok.”

“Alright, good.” 

Sergio put an arm around her and launched into Harry Potter, with Paula safely tucked into his side, leaving crumbs on his shirt as she began carefully nibbling on her cracker.


	16. Evacuating

Raquel was woken up by Sergio shaking her gently, “Raquel, get up, we have to leave.”

It was dark, his tone was serious and Raquel blinked, trying to become conscious enough to understand what was going on. Quickly putting the pieces together, she tossed the covers aside and turned on the lights as she got out of bed.

“Real, or drill?”

She went over to her closet and pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater.

Zipping his trousers, Sergio answered, “You’re not supposed to know, that’s part of it.”

It was the middle of the night, she knew what they had to do, but she was too damned tired for this, and was most certainly too tired to be kept in the dark. She bloody well had a right to know, and snapped, “Sergio.”

Her tone telling him that this was not a fight he should pick, he answered flatly as he pulled a t-shirt over his head, “Drill.”

“Thank fucking god.”

She put her sneakers on. “Can we take the car?”

“Yes.”

“Is the evacuation route clear?”

Sergio was tying his shoes, and briefly glanced at her. “Yes.”

She nodded and grabbed her backpack, “Ok, good.”

“Will you get your mother?”

Her head snapped to him, “What? No, I’m not dragging my mother up for this.”

Both fully dressed and their evacuation backpacks in hand, they stared each other down. 

Exasperated, Sergio held out his arm. They didn’t have time for this. “Raquel, we need to know how much time it’ll take to get everyone ready.”

She shook her head, “I’m not doing it, it'll unsettle her.”

He insisted, pinching his thumb and index finger in the air. “Raquel, we need to know. We won’t put her through it every time but we have to know how much time we need for everyone to get out.”

She tried to come up with a counterargument, cursing him under her breath as she failed to do so. She shot him a dirty look as she walked past him and opened their door, “Fine. You get Paula, I’ll get my mother.”

“Alright.”

Leaving the room, she barked back at him, “Don’t forget the cat.”

“Raquel…”

She turned with a finger pointed at him, her voice and tense demeanour leaving no room for negotiation. “Don’t even start with me… You know we won’t get Paula with us without Popcorn.” 

Accentuating every word, she added, “So get. The fucking. Cat.”

He held up his hands in defeat, “Fine.” What was that old saying? The family that undertakes an evacuation drill together, stays together?

He followed Raquel out into the hallway and went into Paula’s room as she headed to Mariví’s.

Crouching down next to the bed, he shook the girl awake, “Paula, Paula, I need you to wake up.”

The girl sat up, rubbing her eyes. “Hmmm, is it morning?”

“No, it isn’t yet. But you know we’ve talked about having to rehearse leaving the house really quickly?”

“Uh-hum.”

“That’s what we’re doing. So, there's no reason to be scared, but I need you to get up get ready for me, ok?”

Rubbing her eyes, she nodded. “Ok.”

Sergio rose and grabbed the cat cage from her closet. “Where’s Popcorn?”

Paula looked around her bed and soon found the cat sleeping at her feet and lifted it up to Sergio.

“Thank you.” 

He took the cat from her, put it in the cage, thanking his lucky stars the animal didn’t fight him or attempted to run away, and turned the light on her nightstand on. 

“I really need you to get dressed now Paula.”

The girl nodded tiredly, hopped down and went to her closet, where she pulled out a pair of shoes, and sat down to put them on. She then grabbed a sweater that was hanging on her chair and put it on, not noticing it was one of Sergio’s that Raquel had left in her room by accident, and that it was far too big for her. Barely awake, she struggled zipping it up, and Sergio crouched down and did it for her, caressing her cheek when he was done, hoping to keep her as calm as she currently was. 

Sergio grabbed her ready backpack as well as the cage in one hand, Paula by the other, and headed out of her room as Raquel was coming down the hall with a confused Mariví. She was shooting daggers at him, and if he hadn’t been so focused on the task at hand, he would’ve shrunk at being at the receiving end of her glare. Her expression soon changed though as she took him in.

The sight was priceless. The great Professor, criminal mastermind, had his own backpack on his back, and was carrying Paula’s green backpack with pom-poms and a cage with their cat named Popcorn of all things in one hand, while dragging a barely-awake Paula by the hand with the other. Her daughter looked comical enough herself in her pyjamas, one of Sergio’s far too big sweaters over it, but the combination of the two of them was too much for Raquel, whose laughter soon travelled through the otherwise quiet, dark house. Sergio immediately shot her an irritated look though, and she bit back her amusement as they hurried out of the house. They filed everyone into the car, with Paula murmuring calming words to Popcorn as Sergio buckled her in, and Mariví asking what was going on and whether they were going to the beach. Raquel started the car and once Sergio was in the passenger seat drove off with a screech to their assembly point, a five-minute drive away.

Coming to a halt as they reached their destination, she turned to Sergio. “So?”

He looked at his phone, “Eleven minutes.”

“That’s not bad.”

It seemed her initial foul mood had rubbed off on him, and he refused to look at her, his irritation palpable. He nudged his glasses and he stated drily, “It should be less.”

“Sergio…”

He waved her off, “We can go back.”

Sighing, she turned the car around, “Fine.”

Raquel led her mother back in and gave her something to help her go back to sleep. Going back to the car to get their things, she met Sergio in the hallway, carrying a now sleeping Paula in his arms, and the last remains of her annoyance with him vanished at the sight. 

She lingered slightly, watching him put her daughter back into bed and pulling the covers over her as the girl's sleepy voice asked, “Did we evacuate well?”

Raquel's heart melted upon hearing Sergio's answer as he tucked her in, “You did really well Paula. Popcorn too.”

Paula yawned, "Ok, good."

He brushed some of the hair off her face, “Now go back to sleep.” 

The girl’s arms reached up to him and he leaned in for a hug, kissing the top of her head before he let her go. Raquel caught Sergio’s shoulders slumping as he sighed and stayed sitting at the edge of Paula’s bed. Tearing herself away, she carried the last of their things back in, locked the car, then the house. 

The adrenaline was wearing off and all she now felt was tired, and bad that she’d been so irritable with Sergio. These drills could mean the difference between freedom and capture, life and death, and they had agreed to undertake them. But this was the first one, and she had warned him this might happen. That unless he was waking her up for sex, there was a significant risk she’d want to bite his head off. It was his own damn fault insisting this needed to happen in the middle of the night. 

Sergio was on his way to help her when he saw that she had everything, took their backpacks from her with a curt nod, and headed into their bedroom. Raquel let the cat out in Paula’s room, set the cage and her backpack down in a corner, and planted a kiss on her sleeping daughter’s forehead.

Coming back into their room, she was surprised to find Sergio already in bed, fully dressed, with his back turned to her side. There was no way either one of them could go back to sleep straight away, she assumed his adrenaline must’ve been rushing as much as hers.

“Sergio?”

He didn’t answer, and she climbed onto the bed, placing a hand on his arm.

“Let’s just sleep Raquel, we can talk tomorrow.”

She sighed, “No. You’re annoyed, so let’s debrief.”

His glasses on the nightstand, he kept his eyes closed. “Tomorrow.”

“No, Sergio. You’re all tense, none of us will be able to get any sleep.” 

She tried to draw him down to lie on his back so he could face her, but he refused to budge. On her knees behind him, she scooted closer, and ran a hand through his hair. 

“Look, I’m sorry I was annoyed, but in my defence it is the middle of the night, and I did warn you this would happen.”

“I don’t have a problem with you being annoyed Raquel.”

“Ok, then why are you angry?”

“I’m not angry.”

Raquel sighed, she had no idea what was bothering him if it wasn’t her snapping. But something had clearly affected him, and while she was too tired to think clearly, she wouldn't let them end the drill this way; hurt, annoyed, turned against each other. If she couldn’t reach him with her words, she was going to force him to let her anchor him physically. She laid down behind him, snaked her arm under his to come to rest on his chest, and placed a soft kiss to his shoulder blade. 

“Sergio.”

She felt his chest rising as he sighed, and he finally spoke. “You have to take these drills seriously, Raquel. They could mean the difference between getting away and getting caught.”

“I know that, and I do take them seriously. I just really don't want to put my mother through them.”

"I meant what I said, we won't do it every time."

"Good. Thank you." She let her hand caress his chest, and urged him softly, "So tell me."

“You laughed at me.”

She sighed. “That doesn’t mean I don’t take it seriously. It was just a priceless sight Sergio. You, the cat, Paula in her pyjamas, shoes on, an oversized sweater on top of it. It really…”

He cut her off. “It’s not funny though. We agreed to undertake these drills. And we agreed for a reason.” 

“I know that.”

Still not understanding why he was upset, she kissed his back and squeezed him to her. “Sergio, I followed protocol, we both did. Apart from us being irritated, it went smoothly and we made good time. I don’t understand why you..”

His words were barely above a whisper, “If we don’t evacuate quickly, we could lose everything.”

 _Oh god._ That’s what was going on. She had been annoyed at being dragged up in the middle of the night, but he, he had probably unexpectedly been hit by possibility of this scenario occurring. Of them having to evacuate in the middle of the night, praying they’d had enough time to all make it out alive. Her heart broke for him. She had come far too close to losing Paula that night in Morocco, and had reeled from it for weeks afterwards, even though Paula was fine. Granted, that had been real while this was a drill, but it must have made him realise just how he would feel if it ever did happen. Made him truly feel that it could happen.

“You felt it, didn’t you?” He swallowed hard and she knew she was on the right track. “That you could lose us?”

He brought her hand up to his lips, kissed it, and tucked it under his chin.

“Cariño.” She pressed several small kisses to his back. “Paula is still here, sleeping in her bed, safe, tucked in by you. She wasn’t even scared, that’s how safe she feels with us. With you. And Sergio, I’m here too… You haven’t lost us. We made good time. Even if we ever have to evacuate, which is unlikely, we were able to make good time, meaning we’d stand a good chance at getting away given the warning systems we’ve set up.”

She climbed over him and laid down, leaning her forehead against his, caressing his cheek. She kissed him softly, murmuring “I’m here”.

He nodded sheepishly, eyes glistening, and pulled her closer to him, allowing her presence to push his doubts and fears aside. They had made good time, and they had done it together. Irritated as they’d both been, they’d done it as a team and they were still here, still joined. He kissed her eyelid and her cheek before pouring all of his love for her, for their family, into a delicate kiss. Humming against him, he could feel her mouth curving into a smile and it finally allowed him to truly hear what she’d said, and view the events for what they had been; a drill.

Breaking the kiss, Raquel sat up, crossing her legs. She laced her fingers with his and asked him softly, "Do you want to debrief?"

He sat up with his back against the headboard, "No, but we probably should while it's still fresh."

"Right." Scrunching her nose, a mischievous smile formed on her lips, and she straddled him. "I have an idea."

His hands settling on her hips, a small smile crept over him. "Oh, really?"

She nodded excitedly, biting her lower lip. "Well, we're both far too clothed for bed, so for every aspect we cover in the debrief, the other has to remove one item of clothing."

Sergio chuckled, "Strip-debrief?"

She wiggled her eyebrows, eyes twinkling. "Exactly. I think this may be one of my greatest ideas yet." She padded the sides of his stomach, "You start."

"Alright, let's see... I heard the text message and woke up quickly, and so did you."

"True. Very little time wasted there." Raquel winked at him and removed her sweater. "We got dressed quickly and exchanged information as we did."

Sergio nodded and with a smug grin bent his leg and removed one sock, causing Raquel to gape at him, "Sergio!"

"What? It's an item of clothing."

She shook her head and tutted, "Always with the technicalities... Don't look so pleased with yourself though", she lifted her own feet in the air, "I'm wearing socks too."

"Alright, alright, I'll remove both." He removed the other sock to the sound of Raquel’s laughter. "My turn... We settled our differences quickly and agreed on a way forward, albeit reluctantly.”

She shrugged, “I guess that’s true.”

He pinched her thigh as she removed her socks. “Not that you left me much choice.”

She huffed, “I thought I was quite accommodating given the circumstances.” He opened his mouth to protest but she silenced him with a hand to his mouth, “It’s my turn. Let’s see… We got dressed, argued, separated… I got my mom, and she had questions but didn’t fight me, or was worried, so we didn’t lose too much time. But I’m not sure we can trust that would always be the case, so we'll have to talk about options tomorrow.”

Nodding, Sergio grabbed her hand, and squeezed it lightly, silently conveying he knew how hard this was on her. She gave him a grateful smile and he got back to the game, removing his t-shirt. 

Raquel licked her lips and let her hands graze his chest, “Finally we’re getting somewhere.”

Sergio cleared his throat, the contact and prospect of Raquel slowly undressing herself while straddling him started to affect him, and he had to remind himself of what they were doing. Debriefing. This was important. 

“Everything went well with Paula, she did really well actually. She remembered that wearing shoes was important. I got lucky with Popcorn though… If he’s not in her room, and sleepy, it could be trickier and take more time.”

“Hmmm…” Raquel removed her jeans and tossed them aside. His hands came back to rest on her thighs, and the contact shot a jolt of arousal through her. She blinked, trying to remember what she was meant to focus on, certain that it wasn’t on Sergio’s warm and ever so capable hands on her body. She took a deep breath, “We got everyone and everything in the car quickly, I don’t think we forgot anything. Everyone’s go-to-bags were ready and we brought them all.”

“Right. We should probably check what Paula has left in hers though, it was surprisingly light.” At her raised eyebrow, he chuckled and removed his trousers. “You started the car as I buckled Paula in, so once I got in too, we were able to leave quickly.”

She nodded and pulled her camisole over her head. She was about to speak when Sergio held up a hand, stopping her.

”Wait, wait!” He grabbed his glasses from the nightstand and put them on, grinning as he looked her up and down, “Much better.”

Chuckling, she let her fingers draw figures on his stomach. “I knew exactly which way to drive, and you’d told me that the escape route was clear. Oh, and I know the road, so driving in the dark was not a problem.”

Sergio nodded and she lifted her hips, allowing him to remove his boxers. She smirked as she lowered herself on his quickly growing member. She had him completely naked while she was still wearing a bra and her underwear. 

She smacked her lips, “Well, that’s a damned shame. We’re all out of things to debrief about.” She shrugged, sporting an innocent look, “Oh well.”

She tried moving off him, but he kept her firmly in place with his hands still on her hips. “No, no, I’m not done yet.” 

She waited for him to continue, eyebrows raised in amused challenge.

“Fuel!” She looked at him, surprised at his sudden proclamation. He cleared his throat, “There was enough fuel in the car, we could’ve kept driving for a good two more hours.”

Humming, Raquel removed her bra. “And...?”

The sight of her full breasts, that pleased smirk on her lips, and her sitting on his groin throughout the undoubtedly most enjoyable and creative debrief he’d experienced in his life, made it impossible for Sergio to think of much of anything. But he only had one item left, and he was desperate not to be bested, to get her naked fair and square.

“We…” He groaned as she pressed herself against him. “We’ve debriefed in a particularly thorough manner.” 

Laughing heartily, she removed her underwear, and wiggled her bum against him, biting her lip in anticipation. "Now what, Professor?" 

His hands caressed her thighs, and moved up her stomach to cup her breasts. Cradling her face, he brought her close to him, his lips hovering over hers, and answered in a raspy voice, "I'm sure we can figure something out, Inspector."


	17. The fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, leaving kudos, and for the comments that make my heart burst in gratitude! And a special mention to the reader who caught that the previous chapter built on the evacuation drill mentioned in the epilogue of On solid grounds <3
> 
> Sorry I'm not answering comments, but it's a rather hectic uploading schedule and I keep writing much longer chapters than I meant to do...

Their first fight came out of the blue and hit Sergio full force. Raquel was away with Mariví overnight for medical check-ups and he and Paula had gone through the motions. He’d picked her up from school, she’d done her homework then joined him in his office asking if they could do some origami, and had helped him set the table while he got dinner ready. It was a perfectly ordinary night, they’d had a pleasant dinner chatting about the middle ages, which Paula was currently studying at school, and Raquel had just called to wish them goodnight. When Paula handed him the phone, Raquel still on the line, Sergio thought the girl appeared somewhat anxious, but didn’t think any more of it as Raquel told him about Mariví’s tests. 

After chatting with Raquel, Sergio got lost in the day’s intelligence briefing. He was sitting in an arm chair going over them while Paula was in the sofa, watching television. When he was done, he noticed it was way past Paula’s bedtime, and told her to start getting ready for bed.

Eyes glued on the television, she answered drily, “No.”

 _No?_ Dumbfounded, Sergio just stared at her. “What do you mean, no?”

Her voice defiant, Paula didn’t look at him. “I’m not tired, I don’t want to go to bed.”

Sergio had seen Raquel deal with an obstinate Paula in the year that they’d been in Palawan, but had never had to do it himself. Not particularly eager to take on the nine-year-old, he briefly considered what the harm would be in letting her stay up, thinking she’d eventually go to bed or fall asleep on the sofa. But he knew he had to step up. Not only because Raquel would let him have it if she found out he let her daughter walk all over him again, but also for Paula. There was a reason she had a bedtime; she needed the sleep. And she had school the next day.

“Paula. It’s past your bedtime. Please go get ready for bed.”

“No.”

Sergio sighed, and took on a stern voice, imagining he was reprimanding his team, which was much easier than what he was currently facing. “Paula…”

She turned to him, her eyes flashing in anger and disobedience making him flinch. “You can’t make me, you’re not my dad.”

There it was. He wasn’t her father, never would be. He’d always known the words would come eventually, yet they cut all the same, deeply.

But he was on a mission. Raquel had entrusted him with her daughter, and he was not going to fail her. He nudged his glasses, and decided to focus on getting her to turn in for the night, setting aside the words she’d hurled at him. He’d witnessed Raquel doing the same on several occasions; she didn’t get roped into an argument or debate with Paula at bedtime, she left no room for negotiations.

He braced himself, “Regardless, it’s time for you to go to bed.”

Paula shot up from the sofa and screamed at him, “I don’t want to go to bed! And I want my mom!”

The girl stomped off and shut the door to her room with a bang, leaving Sergio in shock in the sitting room. How the hell was he supposed to manage this? Paula had never spoken to him like this, had never really fought him on anything before. Her fights had thus far always been reserved for Raquel, or occasionally Mariví. He hadn’t envied them, having always been acutely aware he lacked the skills to deal with such a situation. 

He picked up the phone, planning on calling Raquel to ask for her advice, but realised she’d probably tell him to go talk to Paula and get her to go to bed. She’d point out that he was an adult dealing with a nine-year-old. It was almost as if she didn’t realise just how terrifying nine-year-olds could be, particularly Murillo ones. 

Putting the phone back down, he got up with a sigh, walked down the hall and knocked on Paula’s door, cautiously entering when she didn’t answer. “Paula?”

The girl was lying on her stomach, face buried in a pillow. “Go away.”

He wanted nothing more. In fact his entire being screamed at him to do just that. Told him that he was utterly unequipped for this, woefully inadequate in fact. But he couldn’t, running away was not an option, so he approached the bed, crouching down at its side.

He carefully begun stroking her back. “Paula, is something wrong?”

“No. Go away.” 

She was growling at him, but didn’t fight his hand on her back, which instilled some hope in Sergio.

“Is this really about not wanting to go to bed?” Letting his fingers lightly tickle her back, he attempted to lighten the mood. ”Because you know I’ll get into real trouble with your mother if I let you stay up all night.”

He heard a muffled huff coming from her, before she mumbled something imperceptible.

“Sorry Paula, I couldn’t hear you.”

The girl turned to him and his heart dropped at the sight of her tear-streaked cheeks. “What if something happens to mom?”

Not sure what was causing this, he wiped away a stray tear and spoke softly, “Nothing’s going to happen to your mother Paula. She’ll be home tomorrow, your abuela too.”

The girl sniffed, “But what if…”

Not even wanting to consider his life without Raquel in it, and believing the girl just needed reassurance that nothing would happen to her mother, Sergio insisted. “You know your mother. She’s tough, and she’d never leave you. Nothing’s going to happen to her.”

Bottom lip trembling and fighting back tears, Paula insisted, “But what if? What would happen to me?” 

Having choked out the words, she burst out crying and Sergio enveloped her in his arms, coming to sit on her bed. He remembered having read about what to expect from a child’s development, eager to know what he was in for. Paula was nine, which according to his research was a normal age to become aware of the fact that those close to you could actually die. That death wasn’t merely a theoretical concept happening to people far removed. Her mother’s absence must have gotten Paula to realise Raquel would one day die, and then to wonder what would happen to her if she did. 

Realising she needed real answers, not platitudes, Sergio rubbed her back as he tried to gather his thoughts. “Alright Paula. If, _if_ , anything were to happen to your mother… Then it would be you, me, your abuela, and Popcorn. Together.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“You’re not sending me back to my dad?”

 _As if he ever could…_ He shook his head and hugged her tighter. “No. Paula. You’re my family now and I’m your…” 

He paused slightly, causing her to look up at him with large eyes. The sight overwhelmed him as he realised that he wasn’t just fond of Paula, that in the past year he’d been completely taken in by her, that he'd even begun thinking of her as his. That he could no longer imagine his life without her in it. At a loss for words, he relied on the complicity they’d shared since the days in Madrid, and winked, “I’m your Bruno, right?”

Paula giggled and nodded as she buried her head in his side. He couldn’t believe his luck that Paula seemed to effortlessly understand him. Sometimes even better than Raquel, somehow more naturally than his brother ever had. She seemed to be calming down and, overtaken with gratitude for her acceptance of him, Sergio squeezed the girl tight, tighter, then even tighter, until she squealed.

“Sergio! You’re crushing me!”

Releasing her, he feigned ignorance, “Was I? I’m sorry Paula, I didn’t mean to.”

He nudged her as she giggled. “Are you ready to go brush your teeth? We can read a bit once you’re done and have changed into your pyjamas if you want.”

She nodded and he planted a kiss on her head before letting her go.

Once Paula was down for the night, doubts about what had occurred kept creeping back, and he called Raquel.

A sleepy voice answered, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing…”

She waited a beat but urged him on when he didn’t speak, “Sergio?”

“I just… Needed to hear your voice.”

A yawn came through the line, “How come?”

“Paula yelled at me.”

She huffed, “Oh.” He heard her shuffle and imagined she sat up in bed, “Welcome to the club.”

He chuckled, “Thank you?”

Raquel yawned again, “It wasn’t anything serious, was it?”

“No, no… I’ll tell you about it tomorrow.”

“Ok, good.”

Just hearing her voice soothed him and he'd almost forgotten that he was the one to have called her, and why, when she spoke tenderly. “You know, I actually think it’s a good thing.”

Incredulous, Sergio huffed, “You do?”

“Mmmm…”

“How?”

“Well, for one, that hopefully means she’ll from now on spread the joy and maybe I won’t be at the receiving end of all of her ire.”

Sergio chuckled, “So… You’re saying rather me, than you?”

A soft laugh escaped her, “I mean… Misery does love company.” He chuckled, and she continued, “But honestly Sergio… Families fight. She’s a kid. Maybe she’s subconsciously starting to realise that you’re a father figure to her, and that you’re sticking around. So, she’s testing you.”

 _A father figure_. He couldn’t even begin to imagine that might be how Paula viewed him, and asked hopefully, “You think so?”

Raquel yawned loudly, “I honestly don’t know, I’m too damned tired to be thinking straight. Did it make any sense?”

Chuckling, he answered, “I don’t know, you’re usually the one to tell me what makes sense or not.”

“Alright. Remind me what I said tomorrow, and then I’ll tell you if it made sense.”

A wide smile spread across his face. He had no idea how she did this. How she managed to remain calm when he imagined Paula would demand he move out the following day. How she managed to ease his worries, even make him laugh, though he’d clearly woken her up after what he imagined had been a fairly taxing day for her and her mother.

Lost in thought, he was brought back by her tired voice. “Sergio?”

“Go back to sleep Raquel, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Alright… Did I help?”

“You always do.”

She yawned, “Well, aren’t you lucky?”

Laughing, he answered, “Yes, I’m very lucky to have found such a humble woman.”

She huffed, and he could imagine her rolling her eyes. “Humility is grossly overrated.”

“Is that so?”

Yawning again, she sighed, “I don’t know… I don’t know what I’m saying.”

“Alright, I’ll let you go. Call me when the boat leaves and I’ll meet you at the docks.”

“Mmmm, thank you… And Sergio?”

“Yes.”

“I love you.”

He knew Raquel loved him, but hearing it never failed to shoot a warm feeling through him. Eager to echo her sentiments, he murmured, “Raquel?”

“Mmmm?”

“I love you too.”

She yawned again and mumbled, her voice heavy with sleep, “You better.”


	18. Lazy Sunday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you SO much for the lovely comments! <3

Lying on her stomach, reading a book, Raquel turned around at the sound of a squeal coming from the ocean, quickly followed by a loud splash. Sergio was teaching Paula the front crawl and had been timing her, but must have just grabbed her daughter and thrown her into the air as the girl’s head soon popped out of the water with a massive grin, laughing, and demanding he do it again.

It was Sergio’s birthday, and Raquel had woken him up with a blowjob he wouldn’t soon forget. She loved catching him off-guard, his initial sounds of surprise quickly replaced by heavy groans as his body jolted to life. He'd muttered “Fuck, Raquel”, as she sucked, licked, and stroked him into oblivion, and coming up to his face after he came, she found him barely conscious. 

His hard cock never failing to turn her on, she’d needed relief herself and, knowing it would take him time to recover, she began touching herself. He quickly caught on to what she was doing and grinned widely as he came to her assistance. Sergio’s hands, lips and tongue had been everywhere as her own hand stimulated her clit, the other grasping at the sheets, and it was one of the most intimate, most erotic, moments of her life. She was soon overtaken by a powerful orgasm and once they’d both recovered, he cradled her face, and laughed as she whispered, “Happy birthday”. Looking her deeply in the eyes as a thumb caressed her cheek, he eventually leaned in, murmuring “thank you”, and kissed her softly.

His first birthday, shortly after she and Paula had joined him in Palawan, had been a rather sombre affair. She’d only found out about it in the afternoon after he’d reluctantly shared with her why he was feeling down, telling her that the loss of his family, of his brother, was particularly felt on that day. He shared how his brother had always made sure to come spend his birthdays with him, that they would share a meal together, swapping memories of their father, Andrés telling him about their mother, whom he remembered more than Sergio did. Her heart had ached for him, and she’d been relieved when broaching the subject this year, that he had squeezed her hand and said he just wanted to spend it quietly, together. 

“A lazy Sunday at home”, he’d said with a shy smile, not looking at her.

Paula had thrown herself into finding him the very best origami paper available in town and had proudly presented him with the gift at breakfast, Sergio visibly touched by the gesture. Raquel had racked her brain trying to think of something to give him. The man could literally buy anything his heart desired, but also didn’t care much for accumulating anything other than books. She briefly considered getting him a piano, but finally settled on continuing to improve his wardrobe. 

She knew he didn’t care about fashion, and also had no natural sense of what looked good on him, but he did enjoy her appreciating him and he could truly look impossibly handsome with the right clothes. So she’d gotten him a few tailored shirts that were bound to make her want to remove them immediately, making them a gift for them both. She’d also managed to get her hands on an early edition of Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species”, and he’d almost enjoyed her recounting the meticulous planning that had gone into the acquisition and shipment of the book without leaving any traces, as much as he had the book itself.

After lunch, she and Sergio had lounged on opposite sides of the daybed, legs overlapping, Sergio reading a book, while Paula was inside, unsuccessfully trying to teach Popcorn to fetch. Raquel revelled in the calm of the moment; the sound of Paula’s chatter with her cat and grandmother, the feel of Sergio’s skin as she ran her foot over his leg, the light wind ruffling through the palm trees. Glancing over at Sergio, his eyes were fully focused on his book, but a small smile had appeared when she’d brought her foot to his leg. Taking him in, Raquel was hit with the realisation that she no longer lived in darkness, and was filled with gratitude for their life, for him, for the fact that her daughter was safe and happy, for the fact that they were celebrating his birthday together.

Paula had eventually joined them, complaining about the heat and asking if they could go for a swim, which is how Paula and Sergio had ended up in the ocean, and Raquel in a green bikini on a towel on the beach. She smirked at the sight of Sergio in his swim trunks, his wet, toned arms and pecs glistening in the sun, his smile illuminating his face. Not to mention his back, his back was gorgeous. Who’d have thought this was what the Professor was hiding under those tedious clothes and stern appearance?

She flipped back onto her stomach and continued reading but soon heard giggling and shushing creeping ever closer, and she knew she was in trouble. She put her book aside and was about to turn around, when a cold, wet Paula landed on her back, causing Raquel to yelp.

“Holy shit, that’s cold!”

Paula giggled on her back, “Mom, language! And the water isn’t cold, it’s so warm!”

Raquel shook the girl off, got up, shrugging of the water, and grabbed a laughing Paula by the cheeks. “Maybe when you’re in it… But not when you’re dry, minding your own business on the beach and a cold, wet seal flops down on you.”

Sergio chuckled, “I guess the solution is not being dry, Raquel.”

Raquel didn’t like the tone of his voice, not one bit, and cautioned him as she let go of her daughter’s face, “Sergio…”

He winked at Paula, “What do you think, should we get your mother warm?”

“Yes!” 

Raquel took a step back and raised an eyebrow and a finger at him in warning, but Sergio quickly picked her up, undeterred, and swung her over his shoulder. Paula running next to him, clapping her hands and laughing, Sergio walked with determined steps towards the water.

“Sergio… Don’t you dare.”

She couldn’t see him but had a pretty good idea of the grin he was sporting as he answered, “I’m really sorry Raquel, but I can’t hear you.”

She tried to wiggle out of his grip, but he kept her firmly in place, those muscles she’d just spent several minutes admiring now working against her.

He reached the water and made no sign of stopping, and Raquel warned him again, Paula’s giggles out of control as she tried to keep up with him. “Sergio, put me down.”

The water now up to his waist, he looked over his shoulder at her. “You want me to put you down?”

Realising why he was suddenly being so cooperative, Raquel quickly interjected, “Wait, Sergio…”

Not giving her the chance to finish, Sergio grabbed her by the waist and threw a shrieking Raquel into the air. She hit the water laughing and coming back up smiled widely as she ran her hands through her hair.

“I’m going to make you pay for that.”

She wouldn’t have thought it possible, but his grin grew even wider, “I’m counting on it.”

Eyebrows raised, she considered him with amusement. “Is that so?”

Paula caught up to them and tugged at Sergio’s arm. “Time me again Sergio!” She turned to her mother, “Mom, did you see me swim before?”

“I did honey, but you were far away, so you should show me again.”

The girl nodded excitedly and turned back to Sergio.

“Alright, Paula. Are you ready?”

The girl nodded and Sergio looked at his watch, counted her down, and Paula darted off. Raquel took the opportunity to swim up to Sergio, wrap herself around him, and kiss him thoroughly, a hand in his hair. Letting him go with a broad smile and a quick peck, she set off after Paula, the girl screaming when she noticed her mother was chasing her.

Sergio urged her on, “Come on Paula, don’t let her catch up. You’re making really good time!”

The girl swam for all she was worth, and Sergio caught Raquel intentionally slowing down behind her. Having made it back to him Paula was out of breath, eyeing him hopefully as he checked his watch.

“Three minutes, twenty-seven seconds. New record!”

“Yes!” Paula high-fived him, then swam around and climbed onto his back, waiting for Raquel to make it back to them.

Twirling his hair around her finger, the girl asked, “Are you having a good birthday, Sergio?”

He patted the small hands that were wrapped around his neck and glanced back at her, full of gratitude, “I really am Paula.”

She nodded, “Good. I am too.”

Chuckling, Sergio added, “I’m glad”, before diving and swimming underwater, Paula squealing as she tried to remain on his back and keep her head above water.


	19. One more gift

Sergio was in his study, not quite able to believe the birthday he had just spent. Between the tree of them, Raquel, Paula and Mariví had managed to keep his demons at bay, and he wasn’t sure that’s what they were even trying to do. It seemed like they genuinely wanted to celebrate his birthday, and that was as mindboggling to him, as the fact that he had actually enjoyed it. That he had enjoyed Raquel’s whispered “Happy birthday”, and Paula excitedly shouting the words at him, shoving the cat in his face so Popcorn too could congratulate him, before she released him and gave Sergio a hug. That he had enjoyed receiving gifts, touched that they had put thought and effort into them, that Paula with barely contained excitement had been unable to keep herself from “helping” him unwrap them. He’d even enjoyed eating a homemade birthday cake listening to Paula’s solemn declarations that it didn’t turn out as well as expected. 

Suspecting he might need some time alone, Raquel had told him to go to his study as she got Paula and Mariví ready for bed. He’d gratefully taken her up on the offer and alone in his study had allowed himself to linger in nostalgia, in thoughts of the family he had lost. He had begun going over some of his notes for the heist on the Mint, and saw his brother in every page. Heard his voice as he admonished him for refusing to accept that feelings and chaos would inevitable be part of the heist, that they couldn’t be planned away. 

If only his brother could see him now… He wondered what Andrés would make of it, would make of him falling so hard for Raquel he literally risked everything for her. Wondered what he would have made of the fact that he’d fallen for a cop, of his life now.

Deep in thought, and close to being pulled into the darkness, he didn’t hear Raquel come in until she’d taken a few steps in. 

“I have one more gift for you.” As he looked up she added suggestively, “Birthday boy.”

He swallowed hard. Raquel was wearing a short, black, silk robe and he couldn’t wait to find out what, if anything, she wore under it. She slowly came around his desk, closed his notebook, setting it aside, and sat on the desk. Her head tilted, she brought up her feet to rest on either side of his thighs, her gaze trailed on him.

In the beat it took his brain to catch up to what was happening, he looked her up and down, blinking in astonishment. He let his hands slowly travel from her legs, through her thighs, to her waist, and looked up at her with an excited grin. He opened the robe slowly, attentively, almost devoutly, and hissed once it came undone, “Jesus, Raquel.” He let his fingers graze her stomach and run over the black and green lace garments she had on, a delicious set he’d never seen before, and one which accentuated her every feature, her glowing skin. 

She didn’t touch him, but sat fully at his disposal, letting him take charge, writhing under his featherlight touch. All the blood rushed to his groin, and he only had one thing in mind. He wanted to fuck her, right there on the desk. He shot her a questioning look, her raised eyebrow telling him she was his, that she trusted him, that he could do whatever he wanted with her. 

Sergio got up, grabbed her face and kissed her with fervour, his tongue seeking hers out in pure lust. Her hands still on the desk, she moaned against his mouth as she wrapped her legs around him, and yanked him closer. Sergio, now painfully hard, brought his hands down under the robe still hanging off her shoulders, and let them linger on her waist as he revelled in the feeling of her soft skin under his fingertips, while her tongue flicked against his lips, and his erection pushed against her.

It was sweet torture, and one that he couldn’t withstand for long. He unbuckled his trousers, pulled down her briefs, and dragged her closer to the edge of the desk. His hands on her ass, she finally touched him as she guided him to her wet entrance. Having withheld it until that moment, her touch was electrifying and they groaned in unison as his tip entered her. She let one arm come around his shoulder, keeping the other on the desk for support. 

Groaning, he filled her with a few, deep thrusts that she met bucking her hips, her legs around him drawing him closer and closer, deeper and deeper. He quickly lost himself in her and surrendered to his orgasm when her coarse voice whispered in his ear, “Come for me Sergio.”

Catching his breath, he stroked her hips and sat back down in the chair, his legs wobbly, Raquel in his arms. Raquel lifted her hips, pulled her briefs back up and Sergio drew her closer again, burying his face in her neck. He sighed deeply and murmured words Raquel only caught the end of, “… so much.”

Caressing his neck, Raquel asked softly, “Hmm?”

He mumbled into her skin, and she more felt than heard his words. “I love you so much.”

Smiling, Raquel kissed his hair, pulled back and kissed his temple, then the side of his nose, then his lips. She leaned her forehead against his and let her fingers graze his beard, one hand at the nape of his neck. 

They sat breathing together, small caresses shared, neither in a hurry to move, until he shifted her further down his lap, away from him. He opened her robe fully again with a grin, taking her in, and let his fingers trace the hem of the lace covering her breasts before bringing his hand down to the briefs, and doing the same there. He tugged at the briefs with a toothy grin, “I’m going to unwrap you later.” 

Eyebrow raised, she chuckled, “Is that so?”

He nodded, his gaze on her body making her shiver. Catching her reaction, he lifted her off his lap, put her back on the desk and leaned in, planting small kisses on her lower abdomen, right at the hem of her briefs. 

Eliciting a moan from her, he pulled at the garment, taking his time to appreciate her reaction to his touch. He pulled her down slightly to get better access and let one hand caress the skin between her breasts as he kissed his way up her thigh. She laid down on the desk, chest heaving, one hand grabbing the edge of the desk and placed one foot on his leg, the other coming up over his shoulder.

Reaching her still wet centre, he let his tongue slowly, thoroughly, slide from her slit to the top of her clit, causing her to gasp and jerk up, arching her back. “Fuck!”

Smirking, he asked, “Did you like that?”

She groaned in between shallow breaths, “Don’t even think about teasing me right now… I swear, Sergio, I’ll…”

He shut her up by nibbling at her clit, his hands now down on her hips. Her taste and moans were intoxicating and if she hadn’t just fucked his brains out, he would’ve taken her once more on the desk. But he needed a bit more time to recover, and looked forward to continue this later on in their bedroom. 

But for now, he was fully focused on her, and the impossibly wet, pink flesh he took great pleasure in exploring. He flicked his tongue against her clit, making her convulse, and he knew she was close. Planting small kisses down her folds occasionally sucking at them lightly, he delved his tongue into her, flicked it up, and pulled it back out before darting back in. Her muscles flexed around his tongue, and he let two fingers rub his favourite spot, watching in awe as the orgasm took over her body, Raquel crying out in pleasure.

Standing up, he kissed his way up her body, and captured her lips as he reached her face, resting his elbows on each side of her, his fingers in her hair.

She hummed, one hand absentmindedly running up and down his back. “And here I meant to give you a treat.”

“Oh, you did, my love. You most definitely did.”

A finger tracing his beard, she smiled lazily. “Did you have a good birthday?” He nodded in response, and she asked, “Are you still going to unwrap me later?”

He nodded again, an anticipating smile on his face, and kissed the side of her mouth as he let one hand run over her bra-covered breast. “I have to, I still haven’t seen what’s underneath here.”


	20. At a party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and for the lovely comments and the kudos!
> 
> If anyone is reading The paths we choose, I'm afraid I won't be able to upload a new chapter today, am aiming for next Sunday instead... Sorry about that but between this story, work, and life, there was just no way.

It was Friday evening and he was alone in the house with Mariví and her nurse. Raquel and Paula were at a party arranged by one of the parents at Paula’s school, and Sergio had opted not to go. When he’d asked Raquel if she minded, she had kissed him, told him if she had a choice she of course preferred him with her, but she knew it wasn’t his scene and that she genuinely didn’t mind him staying home. Paula had seemed more disappointed than Raquel when she realised he really wasn’t coming with them, and he had been second-guessing his choice ever since he’d waved them off, an hour earlier.

He was reading in the sitting room when Mariví came in, “Where are Raquel and Paula?”

He set his book aside, “They’re at a party, remember?”

She sat down, shaking her head. “Oh, right.” She eyed him curiously, “And why are you not with them?”

The question hit him unexpectedly. Something about the tone of her voice, and the way she eyed him, as if it was incomprehensible that he was home while Raquel and Paula were out, made him realise the situation was ridiculous. It was the first party they’d been invited to since arriving in Palawan, over a year earlier. So why wasn’t he there with them? 

Nodding, he thanked Mariví for setting him straight and excused himself, heading to their room. He showered, got dressed and got on his motorcycle, Raquel and Paula having taken the car.

Joining the party, he scanned the terrace and soon spotted Raquel with a drink in her hand, casually chatting and laughing with some Spanish-speaking parents he recognised. He looked for Paula and saw her hunched over a boardgame with a group of kids, two of which he recognised as her current best friends. The girl waved happily as she spotted him and he nodded back with a smile, wondering what to do with himself now. He shifted unsurely, his eyes naturally seeking out Raquel.

Raquel felt the air shift and was soon hit with the sensation that she was being watched. Her senses sharpened, praying no one had identified her or Paula, she casually scanned the party when her eyes landed on Sergio. Relieved, she was also overcome with affection for the man who was currently standing awkwardly on his own, sporting a shy smile and giving a barely perceptible shrug, his palms turned up in a silent question.

She excused herself and came over to him, snaked an arm around his waist and kissed his cheek, smiling warmly. “You’re here.”

He nodded, slightly more at ease now that she was with him.

She let her hand draw indistinguishable patterns on his back, “How come?”

He chuckled as she leaned into his side, “I was subjected to the Murillo stare of probing disbelief.”

“My mother?”

Sergio kissed the top of her head, “Yes. She point-blank asked me why I wasn’t with you and Paula, and I couldn’t come up with a decent answer. So here I am.”

She nudged him, “Anything to get away from that stare, huh?”

“You don’t know what it’s like to be at the receiving end of it, Raquel”, he said as he adjusted his glasses.

Glancing up at him in disbelief, she huffed, “What are you talking about? I grew up dreading that stare! Not to mention what would come after it in my teens.”

He shook his head, “It’s not the same… I think as you began mastering it, you slowly became immune. Whereas I stand no chance, I’m at the frontlines every time.”

Raquel laughed, “At the frontlines, really?”

He nodded seriously and she tutted as she shook her head. She kissed him again, took his hand in hers, and tugged at it. “Let’s get you a drink cariño, then we’ll mingle.”

Sergio had stayed at Raquel’s side most of the evening, making it bearable. It struck him that it was the first time he and Raquel had been in such a situation, that it was the first time he saw her truly interact in a social setting. And she was a natural. 

He was currently sitting a bit away from her, reflecting on how others reacted to Raquel, realising that he was far from being the only one to be taken in by her, when the music was turned up and Raquel, along with a small group of others, started dancing. He was admiring the sight of her hips swinging, and her appearing care-free and happy, when someone sat next to him. 

“Which one is yours?”

Tearing his gaze away from Raquel, Sergio turned to the man in question, not recognising him, “Excuse me?”

The man nodded towards the children who were playing volleyball on the beach, “Which one is yours?”

“Oh.” Bracing himself, Sergio decided to, for the first time, try out aloud the words that he’d spun around in his mind for months now. “That’s my daughter over there, Paula. The one ordering everyone around.”

“Oh, you’re the stepfather!”

Sergio nodded, eyes trailed on Paula, not paying any real attention to what the man had just said. _His daughter_. He’d just referred to her as his daughter.

“Bruno, right?” 

They’d decided to keep using the name Bruno in public, to make it less confusing for Paula. The man held out his hand for him to shake and Sergio took it, nodding. 

“I’m John, Ella‘s dad. Paula talks about you quite often you know, swears you’re really smart.”

Sergio chuckled, attempting to hide just how much it meant that Paula would not only talk about him, but would actually do so in positive terms, when Paula came running up to him, and John excused himself. The girl was clearly getting tired and put an arm around his shoulder as she leaned into him. He let his arm come around her waist, grateful that she’d saved him from what he imagined would have been a forced conversation with this John fellow. Her gaze settling on her mother, Paula swayed along to the music.

“Mom is so pretty.”

“She really is.”

“Why don’t you dance with her?”

“I don’t dance.”

“Oh.” Small fingers began playing with the collar of his shirt, a sure sign that she truly was tired. “You don’t like it?”

He shook his head, “I don’t, no.”

“Oh. Mom loves it.”

“I know. Do you like it?”

Paula nodded and leaned more heavily into him. Having spotted them, Raquel was soon at their side, crouching down to Paula, running a hand over her cheek.

“Alright, I think we should take this one home.”

Paula shook her head, “I’m not tired, I want to stay and dance.”

Raquel laughed and brushed a stray strand of hair from her daughter’s face. She looked at Sergio questioningly and when he nodded, took Paula’s hand.

“I really think we should go home though.”

The girl tried protesting again, “No, I want to dance with Se… with Bruno.”

Raquel and Sergio exchanged a soft look, and Raquel tugged at her hand as Sergio got up, “I do too, honey, but it’s late.”

Following them home on the motorcycle, two things stuck with Sergio: One, he had called Paula his daughter, and it had felt right. Two, both Paula and Raquel had said they wanted to dance with him. Why, he had no idea, but they’d both said they wanted to do it. All things considered, the evening really hadn’t turned out too badly for him.

Once home and Raquel had gotten Paula into bed, she found Sergio on the porch. She snuck her hand around his upper arm and planted a kiss on his shirt. “I’m really glad you came tonight Sergio, thank you.”

He nodded as he put his arm around her waist, “Is she down?”

Raquel craned her neck, “Mmm… Out like a light, muttering she was going to dance all night.”

Sergio chuckled, then tried to gather his courage. “Speaking of dancing…” 

He turned and took her in his arms. He seized one of her hands in his and brought it up to his chest while the one around her waist drew her close as he began moving his feet. Left, right, left again, trying to follow the beat of an imaginary tune. 

Following his lead, Raquel looked up with warm eyes, a soft smile on her face. “What are you doing?”

In his answer he tried to convey a confidence he didn’t feel. “Dancing with my woman.”

“Your woman, huh?”

“Yes.” He tightened his hold on her, “My woman.”

Chuckling, Raquel kissed the side of his mouth, then rested her head on his chest with a content hum, letting her free hand come to his shoulder blade. 

As they swayed to the sounds of the ocean swooshing into shore, the house creaking, a light breeze ruffling through the palm trees, it occurred to Sergio that perhaps he did enjoy dancing after all, that he might try it with Paula too someday.


	21. Let me in

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Such a massive thank you for reading, leaving kudos, and especially for those wonderful comments <3

Ugly truths would occasionally rear their heads, reminding Raquel and Sergio that this was indeed real life, that they weren’t living in a movie, that they had a complex relationship. One of those truths, was the man that Sergio’s brother had been.

It was the one topic he never truly opened up to her about, with the exception of that one time he’d asked her about him, shortly after she and Paula had arrived in Palawan. Sergio knew how Raquel felt about Andrés, and she in turn knew how conflicted he felt about his brother. But it was still his brother, and he still missed him.

When he thought of Andrés, Sergio would at times let her be there for him. He’d let her be there, but he wouldn’t open up, kept his feelings safely bottled up. Raquel suspected he didn’t want to risk her telling him again what she thought of the man. While Sergio knew and tried to reconcile with the reality of who his brother had been, it still didn’t represent the man he’d known, the brother who’d been at his bedside at the hospital through countless medical tests, the one who’d brought him books to read, the one who’d tried to teach a reluctant Sergio about life, about love.

Just a few weeks prior Raquel had woken up to an empty bed, soon spotting Sergio standing on the beach. Her heart had ached for him, suspecting where his thoughts might be. When he couldn’t sleep, it was often on account of his brother, that much he had share with her. She’d carefully walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him, her hands on his bare chest, a kiss planted on his back. He’d glanced back at her with a small smile as he covered her hands with his and she had settled in, content to be with him, to be there for him. 

There was nothing she could do to take away his pain. She knew grief, they both did, and only time could heal the wounds at this point. She knew Sergio was happy to be building a family with her, yet that he would occasionally be struck by the loss of his own. Sergio was the only one left, having lost his mother, his father, and finally his brother.

They had stayed linked, watching the ocean, waiting for the sun to appear over the horizon and she almost fell asleep leaning against him. He must’ve noticed her growing heavier on him as he kissed her hand and brought her back to the house. In their bedroom, they’d made unhurried, intimate and heart-breaking love. She caught sight of the tears that trickled down his cheeks, had kissed them away, and he held onto her even tighter in response. They’d fallen asleep together and she’d been relieved to wake up still interlaced with him, glad that he had opted for staying with her, rather than withdrawing into solitude again.

Other times though, he would avoid her, would retreat into whatever space deep within that she had no access to, couldn’t reach. Today seemed to be one of those days. Paula was in school, and Raquel had tried coaxing him into talking to her, probing him with questions of Andrés, when Sergio finally snapped.

“You think he deserved to die.”

“What?” She placed a hand on his arm, “Sergio, please. I never said that.”

Getting up, withdrawing his arm from under her hand, he muttered, “Might as well have”, and walked away. 

He headed into his study, his safe space. Raquel followed him with a sigh and sat down on one of the chairs as he stared out the window.

She tried to keep her voice calm, “Sergio? I never said that, nor have I ever thought it.” Taking in his tense back, she had no idea where he was going with this, nor what was hurting him. But it was clear that he was more hurt than angry.

She tried again, softly. “Sergio, cariño, I am sorry for the loss of your brother. Truly, I am.”

Sergio removed his glasses and cleaned them, then stated, voice laced with regret. “You would’ve hated him.”

“What?”

“You met him once, and I know how you feel about him. I don’t think that would’ve changed if you’d gotten to know him better, I don’t imagine you being susceptible to his particular charms.”

Struggling to keep up, she asked, “Ok?”

Sergio turned to her, face contorted in pain, and the sight was pure agony for Raquel. “If he’d lived, we wouldn’t have had this life.”

Raquel felt the tears forming in her own eyes, and she tilted her head, asking softly, “What?”

“I couldn’t have had both. My brother and my family. I would’ve had to choose.”

She got up and took a few steps towards him. “Sergio, cariño…”

He held up his hand and shook his head. “Don’t, Raquel… It’s true. You never got to know the man I knew, _my brother_. But even if you had, you know what he was capable of, you’ve told me exactly what you think of him. You wouldn’t have wanted him in our lives, never would’ve let him anywhere near Paula.”

 _Oh god._

She couldn’t deny that he had a point, she wouldn’t have let that man within a mile of her daughter. And truth be told she couldn’t even begin to imagine what a happily ever after with de Fonollosa in the mix would’ve looked like. But it was irrelevant. Andrés was not there. She and Sergio were. The two facts were unrelated, and she needed to make him see that. She tried approaching him again and when he didn’t stop her this time, came up and leaned into his side, one hand coming around his arm, lacing her fingers with his with the other. 

She kissed his shoulder, and murmured, “Don’t do this to yourself… These hypothetical scenarios can only cause you pain. You didn’t have to choose between Andrés and us, you never will.”

Fighting back tears, he choked out, “Because he died.”

Her thumb caressing his hand, she spoke softly. “Maybe, yes, because he died. But that doesn’t mean you’re glad that he did, nor that I am. It happened, and you did the only thing you could do, you continued living your life. That doesn’t betray him, nor his memory.”

He sighed heavily and Raquel would’ve given anything to take away his pain, as well as that ever-present guilt he carried around. She made him sit on the desk and settled herself in between his legs, enveloping him in her arms. His hands eventually came around her waist and held her tight, his breath hot on her neck. She let her fingers play with the hair in his neck, and he sighed heavily.

She kissed the side of his head. “Look. There’s no way of telling what would’ve happened if he’d made it out alive. Don’t forget that he was fatally ill, and only had a few months left to live.” She caressed his back, “But even if he hadn’t been… Sergio, life is a string of endless possibilities, there’s absolutely no telling what might have happened. What matters it that you being happy does not mean you’re glad he died. I know you’re not, I know how much you miss him.”

He eventually nodded against her, and she tried to accentuate her point with a lighter chain of thoughts. “You know, if you’d asked me after that first call during the heist, if I imagined I would fall in love with the sexist, smug bastard on the other end of the line, that I would two years later live with him as a fugitive, having kidnapped my own daughter, not to mention aided and abetted the most wanted criminal in the history of Spain, I would’ve told you you were insane. Out of your fucking mind.”

He chuckled and she kissed the side of his head. 

“We’ve both gone through a lot to end up where we are. Being grateful about where we are, doesn’t mean we’re happy about everything that happened along the way, everything that led us here. My path led me here, to you. And I’m happy to be here, together, but I’ll never be glad about what Alberto put me through… Life happens, we just try to do the best with the cards we’re dealt.”

He sighed heavily, and she added. “Ok?”

He nodded, “Ok.”

She pulled back and cradled his face, making him look at her. His hands rested on her hips and he eventually raised his gaze, granting her a small smile. When one hand came up, brushing away hair from her face, a thumb lingering over her lips, she leaned in and kissed him gently.


	22. A rest

He was leaning over the counter, reading a newspaper, when Raquel came up from behind and draped herself over his back, letting all her weight land on him, her hands coming to his chest. He chuckled and glanced back at her.

“What are you doing?” 

“Resting. I’m tired.”

“Wouldn’t you rather lie down?”

“No, this is nicer.”

Their breaths synchronising, Sergio returned his attention to the news with a faint smile on his lips. Eyes closed, Raquel let herself be enveloped by the way his back would expand with every breath and how, with her ear pressed to his back, she could hear the thumping of his heart. Raquel vaguely registered that the rhythmic movement and soothing beat might be cradling her to sleep, when Paula’s voice flowed through the room.

“Mom? What are you doing?”

Remaining firmly in place, Raquel hummed. “I’m resting.”

Raquel heard a giggle and a chair being pulled before she felt a body climbing on to her, and settling on her back, small arms hanging at her sides.

“Paula… What are _you_ doing?”

“I want to rest too.” Raquel shook slightly, causing Paula to squeal and her arms to come around her mother’s neck. In between fits of laughter, the girl choked out, “Sergio? What are you doing?”

“Well Paula, I’m trying to read the news, while being crushed by not one, but two Murillos.”

A small set of hands snaked around his face and covered his glasses, the sound of Paula’s giggles filling the air.

“Whose hands are on my glasses?”

“Not mine”, Raquel answered quickly.

A younger and decidedly giggly voice soon piped up as well. “Not mine.”

Sergio bit back a laugh, not quite believing that this was his life nor how much he enjoyed it, having always prided himself at being a lone wolf. Three years prior, when he was planning the heist, he never could’ve imagine being amused at someone hindering him from reading the news, not to mention at greasy fingerprints being left on his glasses. Things had undoubtedly changed.

Taking on his best serious voice, he declared, “Well, it’s clear one of you is lying.”

Raquel glanced back at Paula over her shoulder and winked, “Oh really? And on what do you base that accusation, Sergio?”

He huffed incredulously. “On the obvious fact that I have two Murillos on my back, that someone is covering my glasses, and that you both deny doing so. The only logical conclusion is that one of you is lying. Possibly both of you.”

Raquel hummed and pinched his chest, making him flinch. “I don’t know… I’m not convinced that you’ve put forth convincing evidence. How about you Paula? Are you convinced?”

Her hands still covering Sergio’s glasses, the girl shook her head. “No.”

“Well then, Sergio. The Murillo-jury has concluded that you have failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that either Paula or I, are lying. And so, you owe us… What do you think, honey?”

Scrunching her nose, Paula carefully considered her options, before announcing, “Pancakes! No… wait… Yes, ok, pancakes!”

Sergio felt the vibration of Raquel’s laughter on his back. “You heard the girl, Sergio. We demand pancakes as compensation for these false accusations.” 

She leaned in, bit his earlobe, and purred, “I have another punishment in mind for you later though”.

Wondering if he’d ever get used to Raquel doing this to him when people, especially her daughter, were around, Sergio cleared his throat. “So, pancakes are demanded, even though I am the victim here.”

Raquel tilted her head back to whisper something in Paula’s ear. The girl nodded and whispered back rather loudly, tickling her mother’s ear in the process and no doubt allowing Sergio to hear everything. Raquel cleared her throat dramatically.

“Paula and I have discussed the matter at great length, and have reached the conclusion that you do in fact owe us pancakes, and that we would like to eat them in about an hour. Give or take a couple of minutes to fit your schedule, of course.”

Sergio chuckled, “Of course. You’re nothing if not flexible.” This earned him another pinch from Raquel. “But… I’m still not entirely convinced this set of hands”, he grabbed the hands still covering his glasses, causing Paula to yelp, “doesn’t belong to one of you.”

He let his hands travel down Paula’s arms, squeezing them occasionally, wondering aloud who they might possibly belong to, as the girl giggled uncontrollably. He finally reached her arm pits and began tickling her, causing her to cry out laughing, “Stop it Sergio!”

“Aha!” He turned around in Raquel’s arms and grabbed Paula’s hands, “J’accuse!”

Paula laughing hysterically on her mother’s back as he held onto her wrists, Sergio couldn’t care less that they were setting him up. He’d happily spend the rest of his life flipping pancakes for them. He’d happily spend the rest of his life being ganged up on by them.

He squinted at Paula, “Is there anything you’d like to admit to, Paula?”

The girl’s eyes shot to her mother, who subtilty shook her head, and Paula’s eyes went wide as she bit her lip and shook her head, “No.”

Sergio tutted, “Are we really teaching the child to lie now, Raquel?”

Raquel put on her best innocent face, though clearly biting back a laugh. “Sergio, really. Paula and I just came here to have a good rest, and suddenly we’re hit with all kinds of accusations… You’re lucky we have such forgiving natures, and that we rather generously accept the peace offering of pancakes.”

Unable to resist Raquel like this, happy, teasing, he leaned in and kissed her, momentarily forgetting that Paula was still on her back. Forgetting it, that is, until he heard a very distinct, “Eeeeeeeewww”, coming from her.

Raquel broke the kiss laughing and turned her head to plant loud pecks on her daughter’s cheeks. The girl squirmed and tried to shimmy off her mother, but Sergio’s arms came around to grab her waist, keeping her from escaping her mother’s smooches, and seizing the opportunity to tickle her again.

Paula’s squeals filling the house, Mariví soon came into the kitchen, “What’s going on in here?”

In between laughs, Paula managed, “Abuela! They’re torturing me!”

Mariví shook her head, “Torturing my granddaughter? That is entirely unacceptable…”

She walked up to them, took Paula off Raquel’s back, and set her on the ground. She let the girl take a few calming breaths before enveloping her in a tight hug and planting loud kisses on her neck, causing Paula to squirm as she laughed hysterically.

“Abuela, no!”

Mariví released her granddaughter and followed her as she sprinted out of the kitchen giggling. Raquel grabbed Sergio by the collar and planted two rough kisses on his lips, holding him close, nose scrunched in amusement.

“I’m really looking forward to those pancakes, cariño.”

Sergio smiled widely, “Do you have no shame Raquel?”

She let her arms snake around him, and brought them down to rest on his hips, biting her lower lip with a satisfied grin as she pinched his bum, shaking her head. “None whatsoever.”


	23. A bad day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the incredibly lovely comments in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. To the ones who comment often, occasionally, just the once… Honestly, it means the world and I appreciate it more than I can say <3
> 
> I don’t mean to overstay my welcome, but I unexpectedly have six additional drafts for this story on my hands. I’ll do my best to post the 24th and 25th on those days, but for the remaining six, the posting will be rather random.

Sergio came home in the middle of the night to a dark and quiet house, with only the cat up to welcome him home. He was surprised to find his and Raquel’s room empty, though he suspected where she might be. Dropping off his things by the closet he headed down the hall, Popcorn in tow, and opened the door to Paula’s room, catching two sleeping forms in her bed. Smiling at the sight, he carefully closed the door, showered and got ready for bed.

He had been gone for five nights, which was the most he and Raquel had been separated since she joined him in Palawan, and he’d missed her. Had missed their home. Once ready for bed, he snuck into Paula’s room and crouched down next to Raquel, caressing her cheek.

Eyes heavy with sleep, she blinked, and the smile that spread across her face went straight to his heart, “Mmmm, you’re home.” 

Caressing her forehead, he leaned in to kiss her softly and she hummed in contentment. She brought her hand up and laced her fingers with his, pressing her lips to his knuckles.

“I didn’t expect you back until tomorrow.”

Whispering, he answered, “I came home early, I missed you.” He nodded towards Paula, “Did she have a nightmare?”

Raquel shook her head, “Couldn’t fall asleep. I meant to stay with her until she did, but I guess I dozed off too.”

He chuckled and kissed the side of her nose, “I guess you did.” 

Stroking her hand with his thumb, he asked, “You want to stay with her?”

Shaking her head, she yawned and carefully slipped out of bed, not letting go of his hand. She followed him out of the room, closing the door behind them, infinitely happy to have him home. Once in their bedroom, she tugged at his hand and enveloped him in a hug as he turned to her, murmuring into his bare chest that she’d missed him. 

“Raquel are you alright?”

“I’m fine, I just missed you.”

Her voice raw with emotion, the way she clung to him made Sergio suspect there was more to the story. “Is that all?”

She shook her head and released a heavy breath, “My mother had a bad day.”

He let his fingers run up and down her back, “How bad?”

“Not bad like in Madrid, but bad.”

Letting him go, she sat on the bed with a sigh. 

“She asked about Alberto a lot, where he was, when he was coming home… Which of course in turn made Paula miss him. Which is why she couldn’t fall asleep.”

Sergio crouched in front of her, resting his hands on her thighs. “She probably misses him either way.”

“I know, but I hate it when she gets reminded of it. And seeing my mother like that just…”

She shook her head and Sergio wiped at a tear starting to trickle down her cheek. “I’m so sorry Raquel… But you know that Paula’s fine though, right? That you made the right decision for her?”

“I…” She trailed off, shaking her head.

“Raquel, it’s better that she occasionally misses him than is ever subjected to the things he’s capable of again. You got her out in time.”

She gave him an unconvincing nod and sighed deeply. “Just barely.”

Sergio hated this, hated when she would doubt she’d done everything in her power to keep her daughter safe. Hated that her shit of an ex-husband still haunted her, still haunted Paula. Hated that he probably always would. And Mariví having a bad day was already straining enough on Raquel, but it trickling down to Paula as well... It seemed all of Raquel’s buttons had been pushed in his absence. He covered her hands with his.

“How’s Mariví?”

Raquel sighed, squeezing his hand, grateful that he was there, and that he pushed her to open up. She didn’t want to think about the past day, but getting it off her chest did sooth the worst of the pain, relieved her of the anxious feeling in the pit of her stomach she’d walked around with all afternoon and evening. 

“She didn’t seem to suffer from the confusion today, thank god. And she went to sleep without any problems… So, under the circumstances, well.”

“Good.” He tugged at her hands, “You alright?” She gave him a barely perceivable nod and he kissed her hand. “Let’s go to bed.”

He got the covers out of the way and she laid down, Sergio soon joining her and taking her in his arms. She scooted close, letting her arm come around him as he kissed her temple. Her breathing soon growing heavier, Sergio let sleep overtake him as well, setting his guilt at not having been there for her aside for the moment. 

He woke up in the morning, spooning Raquel, and was painfully aroused. He hadn’t seen her for days and she was now unbearably close to him, her scent filling his senses. He shifted to move his crotch away from her, not wanting his erection to wake her up after the day she’d had. He was surprised when she grunted at his pulling back and turned in his arms, snuggling closer, and burrowing her face in his neck.

“Good morning.”

Smiling, he answered, “Good morning.”

She took a deep breath, “You smell so good.” 

Her breath on his skin did nothing to ease his discomfort, and he was about to shift to lie on his back, when she hooked a leg over him, pulling him to her, humming as his bulge pressed against her. 

“And you really did miss me.”

A low groan escaped him, and he brought his hands up to cradle her face, “I really did.”

Leaning in, he captured her lower lip and smiled as her tongue instantly demanded access. Having spent five days apart, all their emotions and days’ worth of sexual frustration went into that kiss. It was intoxicating, deliciously rushed, painfully arousing, and it took Sergio back to that day in the hangar when she’d kissed him for all he was worth. Yet there was a significant difference between the two. Where in the hangar it had been a kiss full of desperation and doubt that they’d ever see each other again, this one was full of the love neither now denied, and their need to reconnect physically.

Raquel moaned deeply against his lips, and she turned around, removed her underwear and arched her back, pressing her ass to his erection.

Her voice husky, she bit her lip. “Fuck, Sergio, I missed you too.”

She snaked her hand back and into his boxers and began stroking him as he groaned. God, if she hadn’t been turned on before, his hard cock never failed to do the trick.

He placed her on her back and began nibbling his way down her body, Raquel withering under his touch. He drew down her nightgown, exposing her breasts, when she stopped him with a hand on his head.

She shook her head and in between ragged breaths managed, “Paula will be up soon, and I swear to god if you don’t fuck me before she storms in here, I’ll…”

He nodded but couldn’t help caressing one breast while planting wet kisses on the other, eventually taking her hard nipple in his mouth and sucking at it. 

When he flicked his tongue against her nipple, the moan that escaped Raquel made him want to devote himself fully to her, but she left no room for debate as she grabbed a fistful of his hair and demanded, “Sergio… Inside me. Now.”

Smirking, he obliged and positioned himself behind her as she laid on her side. He hiked up her nightgown, and let his hand cup her breast, while he teased her entrance with his tip.

“God Raquel… I’ve been looking forward to this all…” She pushed back against him, sinking down on him, finally taking him in and putting an end to both of their agonies. He groaned and choked out, “All week.”

They set a slow, steady rhythm, both relishing in a quiet moment when they were finally interlinked. She eventually turned her head, brought his face to her and kissed him hungrily. Taking the cue, Sergio picked up the pace, loosing himself in her. His undoing came as she bit into his bottom lip right before he felt her body convulsing around him. Letting himself go as well, he buried his face in her hair and tightened his hold of her as he emptied himself in her with a few last, blissful thrusts, drawing out her orgasm by playing with her nipple as he did.

Raquel was wrapped in his arms as he slowly came back to reality and grumbled when she untangled from him, leaving a cold, empty space in her wake. Heading to the bathroom, she picked up her underwear and winked over her shoulder at him, “You better put your boxers back on, I think I just heard a door opening.”

Sergio hurried to put on both his boxers and pyjama bottoms and sure enough, Paula soon sauntered in with tired steps and climbed onto the bed, lying down with her head on his shoulder, apparently not registering that he was back after spending several days away. He placed a kiss on her head, “Hey Paula.”

“Hi Sergio.”

They remained in comfortable silence, accompanied only by the sound of Paula’s occasional yawns and deep sighs as the girl tried to wake up. The bed dipped and Raquel climbed back in, cradling Paula’s face and kissing her cheek.

“Good morning honey.”

“Hi mom.”

“You’re up.”

“Uh-hum.”

Sergio chuckled, “Just barely, I’d say.”

Not sure what the joke was, but suspecting it was on her, Paula protested rather meekly, “I’m up.”

Raquel laughed and kissed her again, then sat on her knees, taking in the sight in front of her. She rubbed Paula’s back, “Did you notice Sergio’s back early?”

Paula looked at her, blinking, and Raquel could almost see the wheels turning in her head until she broke out in a smile and hugged him, “Welcome home!”

Chuckling, he patted her back, “Thank you Paula. It’s good to be home.” He shot an unsure glance at Raquel and added hesitantly, “I missed you, you know.” 

He really had. Had looked forward to the moment he’d get to hear about what she’d learned at school, what she’d done with her friends, what her latest theories were. In the past year and few months, he’d noticed Paula had a lot of theories.

Letting go of him, Paula sat up and leaned against Raquel, who let her arms come around her daughter. 

The girl yawned before answering, “I missed you too.” Not missing a beat, she asked, “Did you get me a present?”


	24. Hiking

They’d gotten a ridiculously early start. Raquel, Paula and Sergio were going hiking and while it was a light enough hike of about three hours ascension and half of that to come back down, the sun could be brutal later during the day, so they’d dragged themselves up at four thirty that morning to beat the worst of the heat. 

It had been one of the few times they all set out their clothes and everything they needed the evening before, and Sergio couldn’t help but relish in the unusual amount of planning, preparations and order that reigned. Raquel put off doing it until the very last minute and ordered him to go help Paula with her things when he pestered her about getting her backpack ready, saying she was perfectly able to get her own shit together, thank you very much. 

As he and Paula prepared, the girl suggested they bring Popcorn with them on a leash, as he too would enjoy an adventure. Chuckling, Sergio informed her that cats are actually more active during the night, which is why Popcorn spent much of his days sleeping or lounging, and the girl reluctantly accepted that he stay home. They spent a few good minutes inspecting Paula’s current rock collection to get an idea of what she might need to compliment it, before the girl got ready for bed and made the rounds, kissing her mother, grandmother, and Sergio goodnight.

When the alarm rang, Sergio was in charge of waking up the two reluctant Murillos. He started with Raquel, who swatted his hand away, mumbled for him to leave her the fuck alone, throwing a pillow at him when he insisted it was time for her to get up. He finally managed to get close enough to kiss her, murmuring in her ear that the hike would be worth it and that she could punish him later if it wasn’t, and thus convinced her to get up rather than cancelling the entire day. 

Ever her mother’s daughter, Paula declared that she was too tired and didn’t want to go as he woke her up. Turning on the light on her nightstand, he basically dragged her up with a kiss to her head, then crouched down in front of her and cradled her cheek, telling her she could get some more sleep in the car. The girl nodded, yawned, and reluctantly got up. Returning to their bedroom, he found Raquel still in bed, evidently having gone back to sleep. Amused at the sight, he nonetheless decided to employ harsher measures and turned the lights on, making her groan and cover her head with a pillow. Chuckling, he wrestled the pillow out of her hands and employed the same method he’d just used on her daughter; making her sit up, stroking her cheek, and planting a kiss on her head. Raquel eventually got up and headed to the bathroom, muttering a string of curse words under her breath as she did.

Paula slept her way through the two-hour drive, while Raquel slowly came to life with the sandwiches and coffee Sergio had prepared for them. Her hand came up to the nape of his neck after they’d been driving for some thirty minutes.

“I’m sorry I’m such a grouch in the mornings.”

Sergio chuckled, “It’s alright. I think I’ll keep you around all the same.” 

Smiling warmly, Raquel pinched his neck. “How touching.” She glanced back at Paula, “How did you get her up?”

“Same way I did with you; turned the lights on, and made her sit up.”

Pulling back her hand, she let her finger run over the rim of her travel cup. “Huh. It’s almost as though you’ve figured out how to handle us.”

He glanced over at her, releasing a puff of air. “Hardly. Whenever I think that, one of you throws me a curve ball, and I’m left at a loss again.”

Raquel hummed, “Good. Gotta keep you on your toes.” She glanced out the window, “Let me know if you want me to drive.”

“You can drive back?”

“Ok, sounds good.” She leaned over and placed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth, turned on the radio at a low volume and settled back in her seat with a content sigh.

They’d taken several breaks on the way up, and Paula had been a trouper, asking only a handful of times if they were there yet. They’d made their way to the Tibag Falls in just under the expected three hours, and had spent about an hour there, having snacks, a swim, and enjoying the sound of the trickling water and the fact they were the only ones there. Paula’s school had closed for a planning day, and they’d taken the opportunity to explore the usually busy falls on a weekday. 

Drying on the rocks while Paula was exploring the area, Sergio was admiring Raquel who was lying on her stomach with her eyes closed and a faint smile on her lips, head resting on her arms. He scooted closer and let his finger lightly run over her back. The strings of her bikini-top proving an irresistible temptation, he began playing with them. He was just about to tug at the knot, when she spoke, eyes still closed.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

Smirking, his fingers played with the string that with just one tug, would make the knot come undone. “Oh really?” She hummed in reply as he planted a kiss to her shoulder blade, “And why not?”

She opened her eyes and peered at him with a knowing look. “Because cariño, you’re the one who won’t be able to handle the consequences of my bikini top coming undone.” 

Realising she was absolutely right, that the sight of her bare breasts in a public place would send him, not her, in for a loop, Sergio laughed heartily, and Raquel closed her eyes again with a pleased smile. Releasing the string, he let his fingers draw shapes on her back a while longer, then leaned in and kissed her softly, murmuring, “Should we get going before it gets too hot?”

She nodded, sat up and stretched. Grabbing his face, she left a few pecks on his mouth, then called out to Paula to gather her things and change back into her hiking clothes.

Heading back down, Paula started complaining that her feet hurt. They took a break, but as soon as they got back up and going again, Sergio leading the way, the girl started limping, and Raquel knocked on Sergio’s shoulder to get him to stop. 

She turned to Paula, “Let me see honey. Which foot is it?”

The girl sat down on the ground and removed her shoe, revealing a bloody sock.

“Jesus Paula!” Raquel crouched down and removed the sock carefully, Paula wincing as she did.

Face scrunched, she seemed to be fighting back tears. “I told you it hurt.” 

Raquel removed her backpack and caressed her daughter’s face. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise you had a blister. I thought your feet were just tired.”

She got water out and cleaned the wound, then disinfected it and applied a thick bandage over the blister. But the blister was too big, and Paula cried out in pain as she put the shoe back on.

“Shit, I’m sorry.” She looked at the girl, squeezing her knee. “You’re not going to be able to walk back like this.”

“I’ll carry her.”

Raquel turned to Sergio, “Really?”

Shrugging, he removed his backpack. “We only have another what, twenty minutes until we reach the car? She can’t walk barefoot.”

Raquel nodded gratefully, “Alright, thank you.” She helped Paula to her feet and stretched out a hand to her, “Give me your backpack Paula, I’ll carry it.”

She was handed the backpack and, surprised by its weight, exclaimed as the girl hopped up onto Sergio’s back. “Jesus Paula, this is heavy.”

“I know.”

“Did you…”, Raquel squeezed the bottom of the backpack and, recognising the shapes, pursed her lips and squinted at her daughter. “Did you fill this with rocks?”

Paula nodded enthusiastically, “Just a few, the best ones. Sergio found some good ones too.”

She shot Sergio an amused look, an eyebrow raised, “Oh, he did?”

“Uh-hum.”

“Wonderful.” Smirking, she picked up Sergio’s backpack as well, touched by the fact that he helped Paula with her collection, that he looked so sheepish at being caught doing it, and that he was carrying her daughter on his back as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She put Paula’s shoe in her backpack, kissed him on the cheek and walked ahead of them.

After a few minutes, Paula remarked, “You’re really strong Sergio.”

Raquel smiled. Sergio had always been fit, but had bulked up since they first met, and she’d be remiss if she said she didn’t enjoy the hell out of it.

Sergio chuckled, “Really?”

Paula nodded, her arms around his neck. “I think you’re the strongest person I know.”

“Well… What about your mother?”

The girl thought about it for a bit. “She’s really strong too, but I think you’re probably stronger.”

“Did you hear that Raquel?”

Smirking at their conversation, Raquel glanced back at them, winking at Paula. “I could take him in a fight though, Paula.”

Eyes wide, the girl asked, “Really?”

Raquel nodded decisively, and Sergio huffed. “Only because you fight dirty.”

Shaking her head, Raquel tutted. “Spoken like a true sore loser.”


	25. The fucking dishes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last of the daily updates! Phew, that was exhausting. Fun, but pretty damn exhausting!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, giving kudos and leaving such lovely comments <3
> 
> To those celebrating: happy holidays! And to those not celebrating: happy regular day!

It was their biggest fight yet. They had clashed over god knows what, and now insults were being hurled, old hurts resurfaced, wounds were reopened and the demons of the past they believed had been cast off, reared their ugly heads again.

She threw in his face that he’d lied to her, twice, that he was emotionally illiterate, that her life became a mess the second she met him at the Hanoi. He countered by snidely telling her that her life had been a mess well before he entered it, that he hadn’t forced her to leave Spain, that he’d helped her do it because it’s what she’d expressed she wanted to do. Needed to do for herself, and for her daughter. That everything he’d done, he’d done for them, to help them. 

“If it hadn’t been for me…”

He hit a nerve and she cut him off, eyes flashing with anger. “Then what? Huh? If it hadn’t been for you then fucking what Sergio?”

His lips were pursed, his jaw set, and his eyes darted across the room. She knew that look. It was the look of a man convinced he was right, that anyone looking at it rationally would see that. It was the look he would sport when her words cut him, and he’d retreat into himself, into the Professor. It was the look that she always felt a strong urge to smack right off his face. The look that never failed to piss her off even further. 

She huffed. “So, what? You think you saved me?” 

He still avoided eye contact and she began pacing the room. “I was fine without you Sergio, and I would have continued to be just fine if you hadn’t shown up in Madrid again. I had plans for Paula and I, plans that you asked I include you in. I _chose_ to do that, just like I _chose_ to come here to be with you. I’m far happier with you than I would have been otherwise, but don’t think for a fucking second that you’re my knight in shining armour and that you saved me from a miserable existence. Because you didn’t.”

Tears forming in her eyes, she pointed a finger at him and hissed, “Fuck you for saying that.” She took a few steps towards him and poked him angrily in the chest. “Fuck you for _thinking_ it.”

She stormed out of the study, barking back that she was going for a walk, leaving a dumbfounded, confused, hurt, and worked-up Sergio behind. 

_Shit._

He had no idea how the fight had started, but he’d managed to say all the wrong things. All the things he didn’t even mean. He wanted to go after her and beg for her forgiveness. Forgiveness for being an idiot, for the words he’d spat, for all the things he’d put her through in the past, for the things he knew she’d been right in accusing him of. But Paula was home, and someone needed to stay with her. Besides, he wasn’t sure he could face her ire until she’d calmed down at least a little. So, he let her go, praying it wasn’t a mistake.

Stomping along the shore, fuming, cursing Sergio as she did, Raquel wiped away angry tears. She couldn’t stand it when he was like this; calm, collected, stating hurtful words as if they were facts. She couldn’t win in those circumstances, could only try to cut him deeper than he had her. But that wasn’t them. Or at least, it hadn’t been until this fight. Unable to discern what was hurt, what was anger, and what, if anything, might have had some truth to it, Raquel continued walking, her entire being tense.

She didn’t know how long she’d been at it when the adrenaline finally subsided, and she was no longer shaking with anger. Instead, she found herself wondering what exactly they were doing, what the hell had happened, and why the thought of the man she loved currently filled her with little else than annoyance at his mere existence. She sat down on the beach and, wind in her hair, let the solitude and ocean help her sort out her thoughts. 

_Fuck._

Realisation hit her like a ton of bricks; she’d ripped his head off over basically nothing. 

She’d been annoyed with him because he hadn’t emptied the dishwasher. Of all the things to set this off… The fact that she knew he’d immediately do it with an apology if she asked him to had only pissed her off further. She didn’t want to have to ask him to do it, she wanted him to notice it needed to be done, and empty it on his own initiative. So, she’d avoided talking to him about it, had disregarded the fact that they actually shared the responsibility of the household and let herself stew, ripping into him the second he’d said the tiniest thing wrong. She couldn’t even remember what it was he had said that eventually set her off.

Sighing, Raquel ran her hands through her hair. It hadn’t been about him, not really. And it definitely hadn’t been about the dishes. Without realising it, she’d been itching for a fight for days, and had been annoyed with him longer than that. She knew what this meant, had experienced it in past relationships; she needed some time to herself. He wasn’t the only who occasionally needed space, she’d just forgotten that she did too.

She loved her family more than anything, but she didn’t have the same life in Palawan as she’d had in Madrid, the main difference being that she wasn’t working anymore. The consequence of that, was that they were constantly together. If her outburst demonstrated anything, it was that she definitely needed some time to herself, and that a good fight with Sergio had been long overdue. She doubted he felt the same though, and could picture him currently over-analysing every word they’d exchanged, trying to piece together what it meant, how and why it had happened, and what he could do to avoid it ever happening again. But for Raquel, the quick escalation of the fight told her they’d both needed to let off some steam.

She headed back to the house, apologised to Sergio, asking if they could talk about it later and if she could leave the house to him for a few hours, saying she needed to be alone. He sheepishly told her to take the time she needed, and she squeezed his hand in gratitude, hoping to convey that he needn’t worry, that they would work this out. Raquel then got a few belongings together, got on her motorcycle and drove off to a beach about an hour away. 

Surrounded by strangers, she swam in the ocean, read a book, enjoyed the solitude, and revelled in no one needing to be fed or looked after. She appreciated that no one demanded her attention, no one wondered what she was doing, no one talked to her. She was just left alone, and it was blissful. 

As the sun started to set she realised she wasn’t ready to go home just yet, but also that she’d started missing Sergio. She wished he was with her watching the sunset, telling her the science behind it. Science she already knew but loved hearing him recount nonetheless. And she wished that they could have some uninterrupted time together. They’d had plenty of time alone in the almost year and a half that she’d been in Palawan, but had never had the house fully to themselves, nor spent the night away together. And after the fight they'd just had, Raquel ached for his company and couldn’t think of anything she wanted more than to spend the evening and night alone with him, truly alone. 

She had never been prone to grand declarations of love. Sergio’s rare, but unfiltered expressions of devotion always caught her off guard, and left her touched yet eager to laugh off the seriousness of the moment. This time though, she’d fucked up, and perhaps it was time she returned the favour. She knew him, knew she’d hurt him, knew he’d find a way to convince himself that the fight had all been his fault, that the words she’d hurled at him in anger were based on her true feelings, when nothing could be further from the truth. She needed to show him just how far from the truth they’d really been.

She called a near-by hotel she’d heard about from one of the parents at Paula’s school, booked one of their bungalows, then called Sergio. He sounded surprised, both that she called, and for her suggestion he join her, but let her know he’d check if Mariví’s nurse would agree to stay the night and look after Paula as well. He soon called back to confirm, they agreed to meet there two hours later, and Raquel hopped on her bike and drove over to the hotel, swinging by the market on her way.

She ordered dinner and a bottle of wine to be served for them on the patio of their bungalow, showered, and changed into the new dress she just bought at the market. She was lighting candles and lanterns both on the terrace and inside the bungalow, when she heard a hesitant knock ten minutes ahead of the agreed time. 

He was standing at the entrance with an unsure smile, wearing a pair of linen trousers and one of the shirts she’d gotten him for his birthday, and he looked tasty enough to eat. Any hint left of the annoyance she’d felt towards him disappeared the moment she laid eyes on him, and all she felt was guilt at having hurt him as well as a need to be near him. She walked up to him and threw her arms around his neck.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry Sergio.”

Sergio didn’t know what he’d expected, but lit candles, a barefoot Raquel with her hair down, wearing a flowy, long, cream-coloured dress, looking very much like a sun-goddess, throwing herself at him and apologising, certainly hadn’t been it. He’d spent the afternoon trying to figure out how he’d caused the fight, and thinking of ways to apologise to her, to explain that the notion that he’d saved her was ridiculous. That she was the one to have saved him from a life in solitude, from a life he hadn’t realised was empty until he met her.

Hugging her tight he murmured, voice laced with guilt, “I don’t think I saved you Raquel.”

“I know… You just… Hit a nerve.”

He sighed deeply, “So did you.”

Shaking her head, she buried it in his neck and breathed him in. “I didn’t mean it. Really, I didn’t. Any of it.”

“I’m sorry about what I said. About your life.”

She sighed deeply, “Shit Sergio.” Untangling from him, she let her fingers play with his beard, placed a careful, uncertain kiss to his lips, and let her hands travel down his arms. “Thank you for coming.”

He looked at her in disbelief. As if he’d ever _not_ come when she called. “Of course.”

She smiled warmly and kissed him again, properly this time, then took his bag from him and put it next to the bed. Her back turned to him, he enveloped her from behind, kissed her neck, and murmured, “You look beautiful, Raquel.”

Her hand came up to caress his cheek and she tilted her head back to look at him. “Thank you.” He leaned in and kissed her softly, Raquel keeping her eyes trailed on him, taking him in, still unable to make sense of the strength of her feelings for him, but having accepted it a long time ago. They remained linked, kissing, Sergio tightening his hold of her, when their food arrived, and she led him out by the hand.

They shared a hesitant toast, dug into their meal and a tense Sergio soon cleared his throat as he shifted in his seat, uncharacteristically deciding to grab the bull by its horns.

“So, what happened?”

Raquel took a sip of her wine, appearing embarrassed. “Honestly? It was really stupid…”

He waited for her to continue, and she sighed, shaking her head. “The dishes.” She held out her hands in exasperation, “The fucking dishes happened.”

That earned her a chuckle and a surprised look from Sergio, who nudged his glasses.

“It’s not…” She waved her hand, rolling her eyes at herself, “It’s obviously not about the dishes. I think I really needed some time on my own. I’m not used to being home, always surrounded by my family. I’ve always worked, and I guess that gave me the break I didn’t know I needed. And now, I don’t have that… So I lost my shit.” She reached out for his hand, “I’m sorry I took it out on you.” 

Knowing he had a tendency to hang on to words, especially if it might be something he could feel guilty over, she added, “I truly didn’t mean what I said Sergio.”

Sure enough, he avoided looking at her, his gaze firmly set on his linked hands. “But… There’s a reason you said it.”

Raquel sighed, “Yes, but it’s not the one you think. It’s not because there’s a grain of truth to it. I’ve forgiven you for the lies, for how we started, for my mother… Genuinely, I have.” She brought her hand to his chin, forcing him to look at her, and covered his hands with hers. “It’s because I was angry. You hurt me, I wanted to hurt you. It’s that simple. It’s that petty.”

Sergio’s shoulders were still slumped, so she added, “Sergio. This is what couples do, they fight, they lose themselves in anger, in past hurt. It doesn’t mean that a part of me doesn’t trust you, or that I doubt you, doubt what we are to each other. I don’t. And I trust you implicitly, I trust you with my life, with my daughter’s life. Sergio… You might drive me crazy at times, but you’re it for me.”

Chuckling, Sergio eventually nodded and squeezed her hand in response. “What does it mean though?”

Relieved that he seemed to have truly heard her, Raquel let go of his hand and returned to her meal. “What does what mean?”

“That you needed time alone, that your life isn’t like what you had in Madrid? Do you want to start working?”

“I don’t know… But I know I can’t live in this bubble forever.” She looked at him warmly at couldn’t resist kissing him. Fingers in his beard, she smiled, “I’d like to stay in it a little longer though.”

His smile finally reaching his eyes, Sergio picked his cutlery back up. “If you needed time though, how come you called? Why am I here?”

“Well… I needed time on my own. I went to the beach and just… Was. Just me. Not anyone’s mother, daughter, or partner. Just me, Raquel. It… God Sergio, I really needed it.”

He nodded, sipping on his wine, and she considered him affectionately. 

“But then the sun set, and I missed you. And I realised I wanted to spend some time with just you, away from any obligations or everyday life. Just the two of us.”

Sergio put his glass down and gave her a shy smile. “I’m glad you called.”

She leaned over and kissed him softly, “So am I.”

Once the table was cleared, Raquel suggested they go for a stroll on the empty beach, the moon at a quarter full providing them enough light. They strolled in comfortable silence, hand in hand, and as they were about to reach their bungalow again, Raquel tugged at Sergio’s hand and dragged him into the ocean with her. She was walking backwards, his hand in hers, and he willingly followed her, a warm smile on his face. He grabbed her by the waist and held her close, following her as she kept walking backwards, bringing him deeper into the dark ocean. 

She couldn’t quite believe that he still had this effect on her, that the mere thought of him, the simple feel of his hand holding hers, his anticipating smile as he brought her to him, could turn her on in an instant.

When the water almost reached her shoulders, she wrapped her legs around him, pushing her now tingling centre against his groin, and hovered just above his lips. His eyes hungry, he looked like he wanted to devour her. Her pulse increased, her bones ached of lust for him, and she pushed her burning clit closer to him, as her gaze landed on his lips. She could spend hours just kissing those lips. Her tongue darted out and she licked them teasingly. He swallowed hard and his face came towards hers, but she pulled back, once, twice, making him groan in frustration. Keeping her eyes open, wanting to see him, she finally took mercy on them both and met him, their lips crashing against each other. 

Her hands were in his hair, she was pushing against his erection, moaning deliciously into his mouth as her tongue swirled around his, and Sergio feared he might come undone on the spot. He hiked her dress up, discovering with delight that she wasn’t wearing any underwear, and quickly freed his throbbing member, bringing her down onto him as she gasped, digging her nails into his back. 

Head tilted back, she both literally and figuratively saw stars as the man she was impossibly in love with, who could drive her up the walls like no other, could melt her with just one look, could turn her on with the lightest touch, filled her over and over again. The tension of the day, the warm water surrounding them, and the light breeze meant he was all she needed and when he kissed her deeply as she bucked against him, she got lost in her orgasm, only barely registering he soon followed her, his moans muffled against her neck.

She let her head rest over his shoulder as she remained draped around him, not quite ready to let him go. Their breathing eventually evened out, and she straightened up to face him, her fingers coming up to trace his beard. “Sergio Marquina, you’ve just had sex, fully clothed, in the ocean.”

His laugh was hearty and care-free and, feeling the vibrations against her body, Raquel thought she’d never tire of seeing him like this. Free of his inhibitions, confident in their relationship, confident in the way their bodies were tuned into one another, his eyes shining with delight at her teasing.

He kissed her gently, “We’ve done that before.”

“On a private, or isolated beach, yes.”

“There’s no one here.”

“I know, but someone could come walking along the beach.”

He smiled brightly at her, “What can I say, you’re a terrible influence on me Raquel.”

“ _I’m_ a terrible influence on _you_? Might I remind you I was a very upstanding citizen until I met you.”

He hummed, hovering just a few millimetres above her lips, “Semantics, my love.”

He kissed her as she mumbled, “Is that so?”

He nodded, declaring, “I strongly suspect you’ve always been a rebel at heart. And I’ve spoken to your mother, I know just how upstanding you were in your teens.”

About to retort, Raquel was interrupted by his tongue slipping into her mouth. He slowly started walking them back to shore, Raquel still in his arms, kissing her fiercely as Raquel moaned against him again. The bastard knew exactly how to play her. 

He pulled back with a smirk and murmured against her lips, “Let’s head inside, get you out of these wet clothes.”

She gasped in mock shock, a hand playing with the hair in his neck. “Are you trying to get me naked?”

Grinning, he planted a peck on her lips before setting her down on the shore, “Always.”

Walking behind him, her hand in his, soaking wet, Raquel let him guide her as she looked up at the stars. They were gorgeous, the beach was gorgeous, he was gorgeous. _Fuck,_ she really loved him.

She tugged at his hand, “Well… Not always. Remember back in Madrid, when you wouldn’t have sex with me?”

He groaned, “Don’t remind me… You’re as irresistible without underwear now as you were that night you tricked me into bed.”

She huffed, “Tricked you into bed, really?”

“Yes, tricked me into it… Actually, now that you’ve reminded of those days… I’m going to make up for them tonight.”

Chuckling, she caught up with him and leaned into his side. “You are?”

He nodded determinedly. “Absolutely. I’m going to explore every aspect of your body, check if anything has changed.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. It’s important I know these things.”

She pressed a kiss to his arm, “Well… You’re nothing if not meticulous.”

Nodding in agreement, he pinched his thumb and index finger in the air. “I have to be. I’d hate to wake up one day and discover that this spot right here…” He stopped, put his hands around her face, tilted her head, and leaned down to nibble at her neck, one hand coming down to her waist, pressing her to him, shooting a wave of pleasure through her. “…no longer makes you shiver in the most delightful way.” 

He let her go with a mischievous smile and took her hand again. Laughing, she followed him into the bungalow where he led her to the bathroom, undressed her in awe, then removed his own clothes and joined her in the shower.


	26. Sleep interrupted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kind and lovely comments! There was even one in Russian <3 I have no words to express how much I appreciate each and every one...

Sergio woke up from a small foot kicking him in the chin. Groaning, he broad a hand to his face, then reached for his glasses. The first light of dawn was breaking through the room, and he looked to his right to see what was going on.

Raquel was lying on her stomach, and Paula was draped horizontally over her midriff.

The sight left him puzzled. At the state of his life, at Raquel and Paula’s ability to sleep like that, at the fact that while his chin currently hurt like hell, he couldn’t wait to tell Paula about what she’d done. She’d probably not believe him at first, but would eventually giggle, a sound he couldn’t get enough of.

It was unusual for her to sleep with them, and the nightmares that were quite frequent when they first came to Palawan had become increasingly rare. But that night she’d woken up screaming about two hours after she’d gone to bed and had been impossible to calm back down. Sobbing, she’d asked if her father was coming to take her away and Raquel had finally brought the sniffling girl into their room. Tucked into her mother’s side, lying between the two of them, her body finally relaxed while Raquel and Sergio, hearts aching for her, were left cursing Alberto for that night in Morocco.

Raquel stirred, evidently not sleeping as soundly as he’d assumed, and turned to him, flinching in surprise at his eyes staring back at her. Smiling tiredly, she tried to shift and chuckled as she discovered she was trapped under her daughter. She looked at Sergio, silently asking for help, but he merely shrugged, not wanting to disturb a sleeping Paula.

Rolling her eyes, Raquel shifted Paula off of her, carefully at first but then more forcefully as she had to rearrange her completely. Paula stirred, and Raquel pressed her lips together, eyes wide, waiting to see if she’d woken the girl up. But Paula merely mumbled something about grasshoppers, then went back to sleep. 

Releasing a breath, Raquel scooted closer to Sergio and kissed his cheek before settling at his side. Her head on his shoulder, her fingers playing with his chest hair, she whispered, “Why are you awake?”

“Paula kicked me in the chin.”

Raquel pressed her face into his chest, letting his body stifle her laugh. Looking up again with a smile, she bit her lip. “Did she really?” 

Sergio nodded and massaged his chin. Raquel reached up to plant a soft kiss to it, then settled back into him, letting her fingers graze his chest. “Why are you wearing your glasses?”

“I wanted to see who kicked me.”

Raquel huffed, “Did you think it might have been me?”

He kissed the top of her head, his fingers tracing up and down her arm. “No. But I wasn’t sure it was a foot, and a punch is entirely in character for you.”

Raquel yawned, “Please…”

He nudged her, “Why are you awake?”

“I had a nine-year old draped over me. And if she kicked you, she must’ve shifted on me.”

“How is she still asleep though?”

“I have no idea, but I would give anything to sleep like that.”

Raquel yawned again, then scooted up and removed his glasses, stretching over him as she placed them on the nightstand. Back at his side, she caressed his cheek, letting her fingers scratch his beard. Her gaze settling on his mouth, she leaned in and kissed him softly, murmured “Go back to sleep” against his lips, then kissed him again.

Sergio nodded, thinking it wouldn’t happen, but next thing he knew he woke up from the faint sound of scratching, and the bed shifting. Raquel was lying on her side next to him, a hand resting on his shoulder. 

He heard the door open, followed by Paula whispering, “Ssshhh, Popcorn. You’re going to wake up mom and Sergio.” 

Cat paws landed on him and walked up his body and a purring Popcorn soon appeared, stroking his head against Sergio’s sore chin. Paula climbed back into bed and over her mother, apparently no longer concerned about waking her up. Giggling at the grunts Raquel let out, the girl installed herself on Raquel’s hip, sneaking her feet in between her and Sergio as she began petting the cat. 

Raquel opened one eye and peered at her daughter as she grumbled, “Are you really just going to sit on me?”

Fully focused on Popcorn, Paula nodded enthusiastically.

Sergio chuckled, “That cannot possibly be comfortable, Paula.”

Huffing, Raquel asked, “For who?” 

She wiggled out from under Paula, causing the girl to slide off her with a giggle and the cat to eye them curiously. Raquel propped herself up against two pillows, leaving a space between her and Sergio for Paula. Popcorn soon sauntered over to Raquel, found a nook against her to lay down, and she began stroking him as she yawned.

Slightly jealous of the cat curled up next to Raquel, Sergio wished he could slow down time. It was still mind-boggling to him that this was his life, that this was his family, that he _had_ a family. That they had a cat, that there was Saturday morning bickering, that their bed got overtaken by two small creatures, that he and Raquel had a bed, a bedroom, together. It was all incomprehensible, too unlikely and too incredible to be real.

Yet it was real. And Paula’s early morning kick had spared him the need for a pinch to assure him of that.

He glanced over at Paula, overcome with emotions for the girl he’d gotten charmed by since the second time they met, and she had eyed him suspiciously, echoing her mother’s x-ray stare. He’d felt like she could see right through him, just like he’d felt the first time they met, a year and a half prior. And since their second meeting, when he came back to Madrid and she once again found him in her mother’s bedroom, she’d somehow managed to give him the benefit of the doubt, and let him be there for her; letting him pick her up from school, help her with her homework, sooth her during storms, tease her about her dislike of broccoli. And she continued to amaze him with her curious mind, her ease around him and her ability to understand him. 

To say that he was grateful for Paula’s existence in his life, for the fact that he occasionally allowed himself to think of her, and even refer to her, as his daughter, was a definite understatement. And as she’d just scooted off her mother’s hip, giggling, he really wanted to keep her laughing. Adjusting the pillows behind him, he sat up with his back against the headboard, Paula crossing her legs and facing both him and Raquel, hand coming out to pet Popcorn.

“Ask me how I slept Paula.”

Paula eyed him suspiciously, turned to her mother for guidance but at Raquel’s shrug, asked somewhat apprehensively, “How did you sleep Sergio?”

“Rather well, thanks for asking. Until you kicked me in the face, that is.”

Paula’s eyes went wide, “What?”

Sergio nodded and pointed to his chin, “Right here.”

Mouth agape, about to break into a smile, the girl leaned in to look at his chin, and protested, “No, I didn’t!”

“Yes, you did. Your mother can certify it.”

Raquel waved him off, “Oh no you don’t, don’t bring me into this… I didn’t see anything. I just know what you told me happened, _after_ the alleged incident.”

Squinting and pursing her lips, Paula crossed her arms. “I don’t believe you.”

“It’s true though. Raquel was lying right over there, on her stomach. You were draped horizontally over her, and kicked me right in the chin.”

Paula’s eyes darted to Raquel again who nodded with a yawn, stroking the cat. “I can confirm that that’s how we were sleeping.” 

Sergio rubbed his chin, “I’m sure there’s a bruise. You can’t see it because of the beard, but I’m sure it’s there.”

Squinting at him, she asked, “Did I really kick you?”

“You really did.”

The girl started laughing, and Sergio poked her in the belly, looking at her incredulously. “Why are you laughing? You think it’s funny that you injured me?”

She pressed her lips together in an attempt to smother the laugh and shook her head, squeaking, “I’m not laughing.”

Raquel kissed the top of her daughter’s head, “You’re sure shaking as though you were though, honey.” She got out of bed and stretched on her way to the bathroom. 

Sergio was sure he’d never tire of seeing Raquel stretch.

He poked Paula in the stomach again, “Your mother’s right you know, you’re literally shaking from laughter.” 

The bathroom door open, the sound of water running flowed through the room. Sergio nodded towards the girl, “Go on Paula, let it out. It’s not good for you to keep a laugh in like that.”

Looking like she was about to explode, Paula shook her head and jumped off the bed. She left the room and Sergio heard her belly laugh resonating from the hallway, making him chuckle. He loved hearing that laugh. 

Raquel’s amused voice resonated from the bathroom, “Paula? Do you think you should maybe apologise to Sergio for kicking him in the face?” 

A sheepish-looking Paula soon appeared in the doorway, leaning into it as her fingers picked at the wood, and asked hesitantly, “Does it hurt?”

Sergio stroked his chin, which was rather sore, she’d actually gotten him quite good. “Only a little bit.”

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s alright, you didn’t do it on purpose.” He squinted at her suspiciously, “Did you?”

Smiling, she shook her head vehemently before darting down the hall. Raquel came out of the bathroom, walked over to his side, grabbed his face and kissed him thoroughly. 

He stared at her wide-eyed as she let him go, and asked, “What was that for?”

She turned to him with a serene expression on her face, smiled warmly, knowingly, and walked out of their bedroom.


	27. Women

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuck yeah Argentina, FUCK YEAH!! Ladies getting shit done! I am so inspired, in awe of the force of the protesters, activists and advocates, so proud of our sisters. Well fucking done.
> 
> This chapter happened thanks to the women of Argentina and is dedicated to all the women out there fighting for their rights, earning their rights, changing the world. <3
> 
> I guess I should include a possible trigger warning about abortion here.

Raquel threw the paper down in front of Sergio, “We have to do something.”

He looked at the article in front of him. A young, economically and socially disadvantaged woman from one of the slum areas in Manila had just been found guilty of performing an abortion on herself.

“She almost bled to death, Sergio. So, she had no choice but to go to the doctor, and of course realising what had happened, someone at the hospital called the police. So now, the minimum sentencing is six months, but she risks going to prison for six years. _Six years!_ ”

Raquel threw her arms out in frustration, “Even if she gets the minimum sentence… Six months in prison? For what? For having the gal to make a decision over her own damn body?”

Still reading the article, Sergio mumbled, “I see…”

“No, I don’t think you do.” 

He looked up from the paper, slightly taken aback by her words and her harsh tone.

“You’re well intentioned, and you try. But you view the most important struggle as being the one against the system, a corrupt and capitalistic system. And while you understand and accept that that system is sexist as well, you see it as a somewhat separate issue that will be solved as we solve injustices. Whereas I see equality as the very basis of what we’re trying do. Fighting racism and sexism, is where we have to start, it’s not an add-on or a distant end goal. It has to be where we start. I’m tired of waiting, tired of being fucking patient.”

Sergio nodded, trying to take in what she was saying, to understand it, to try and see how his own perception might be skewed from the fact that he hadn’t experienced the same inequalities she had. That while he’d experienced socio-economical injustices up-close, he’d still experienced them as a man. And he didn’t wear his experience clearly visible, whereas she had always been easily identifiable as a woman, and had been treated differently as a result. It was a lot to take in, so he tried to listen, to learn.

“But frankly I don’t think that you do understand just how it feels to have your fundamental right over your own body stripped from you. Or rather, to never have had it to begin with. No one ever tells you what you can or cannot do with your body.”

Pacing the patio, she turned to him, “And do you know when it starts?”

This he did know. “From the beginning.”

She nodded, “From the fucking beginning… Paula came home the other day, asking me why in Spanish if there is one boy and twenty girls, then the group should be referred to in the masculine. Why one boy is more important than twenty girls. What do you say to that? We’re told from the fucking beginning that we’re worth less than boys, it’s absolutely everywhere.”

Raquel sat down opposite him with a heavy sigh.

“What did you tell her?”

“I told her about the patriarchy of course, how it governs everything, affects everything. About how we’re constantly fighting it. Big battles and small ones.”

Sergio squirmed, reminded of his own tactic when negotiating with Raquel during the heist in his attempts to de-stabilise her. Though he knew this wasn’t about him, he still needed to acknowledge what he’d done. “I’m sorry I was such a sexist prick in our negotiations.”

She looked at him in surprise, “You’ve already apologised for that.”

“Still… The thought that Paula might ever have to put up with something like that makes me regret it even more.”

“She is going to be subjected to something similar though, there’s unfortunately no escaping it in today’s world. That’s the point.”

He nodded, thinking back to his own interactions with girls, then women, and how he’d reacted when those around him, chief among them his brother, spoke of women in an undoubtedly derogatory way. He’d never consciously contributed to such conversations, but now he wondered what he would’ve thought if he’d caught someone talking about Paula the way he’d heard his brother and others talk about women. His musings where interrupted by Raquel’s voice, now softer.

“I had an abortion, you know.”

He looked up at her in surprise, “You did?”

She nodded. “I was seventeen, and we were madly in love. Yet when I got pregnant, it was very much my problem.”

“It was illegal in Spain at the time.”

“Mmm… It was only legal in case of rape or if there was a risk of damage to me or the foetus.”

“Which wasn’t the case?”

Pressing her lips together, she confirmed, “Which wasn’t the case.”

“What did you do?”

“After a lot of anxiety and sleepless nights, I finally told my mother. Luckily she didn’t blame, or judge me. She took me to a midwife in the village who would perform illegal abortions on the side.”

“How was it?”

“I was terrified. Of everything. Of my parents, of the procedure, of what it all meant. But I couldn’t have a baby, I was a child myself. I was nowhere near ready for it. And even if I’d had the baby, I would’ve been judged for that as well.”

“The procedure went well?”

She nodded, “Hurt like hell, but I was lucky, she was a midwife who knew what she was doing. And I didn’t suffer any complications from it, didn’t have any difficulties getting pregnant with Paula. But afterwards, I just… Felt empty. I didn’t regret it, knew I didn’t have a choice, never fantasised about the child that could’ve been… But I felt empty. For a long time. It’s difficult to explain.”

She gazed out over the ocean, “I was so lucky though… To have my mother, that there was a conscientious midwife, that no one found out, that it went well. So many women aren’t. The fact that it was criminalised just… It made it so much harder, so much less safe, and just way more shameful than it needed to be. Yet I was one of the lucky ones.”

Hearing her mother shuffling inside Raquel called for her, “Mom?”

Mariví, who was having a clear day, came outside and joined Raquel on the daybed, “What is it sweetheart?”

“You remember when I got pregnant? When I was seventeen?”

“Of course, I remember. You were terrified when you told me, begged me not to tell your father.”

“Did I ever thank you for what you did?” As Mariví shook her head, Raquel leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. “Thank you mom, it meant the world that you were with me.”

Mariví caressed her daughter’s cheek with a soft smile.

“How did you know where to take me?”

“Oh, it was common knowledge… I’m not sure how I heard about it, but we all knew.”

“Were you scared?”

“Of course, I was. When I was that age one of my classmates died as a result of an unsafe abortion. I was scared something would go wrong, or that someone would find out. But mostly my heart bled for you, I could see how much you were hurting, and how scared you were. I hated that you had to go through that, and that it had to be done clandestinely.”

Mariví took hold of her daughter’s hand and Raquel squeezed it in gratitude, then shook her head. “I don’t want Paula to ever have to go through anything like that. Ever. If she chooses to have an abortion, I want it to be safe for her. Safe, legal, without judgement, affordable.”

“You know how they frame it in some parts of the world now, mom? Where the catholic church has lost power and the “it’s a sin”-argument no longer is sufficient?” Mariví shook her head and Raquel continued, “Pro-life, or pro-choice. How the fuck did that happen? If I believe I have a right to decide over my own body, then I’m not pro-life?”

Mariví sighed heavily, shaking her head, “There’s always been a million ever so reasonable reasons to control women’s bodies. As soon as one becomes outdated, they just come up with a new one.”

“Fuck. Which life are they even talking about? That of the foetus? Life starts at inception… How convenient. Life starts the moment men’s accountability can be disregarded and the consequences will only affect women. How original. So what, the sperms are dead until the very moment they enter a woman?” She huffed, “Please.”

Looking at Raquel and Mariví, Sergio felt like he was given a glimpse into a world he’d known theoretically existed, but had never really been privy to. Of course Raquel had shared her experiences of being a woman with him, especially of being a woman in the police force, but this was a new level. He felt far out of his depth, rather inadequate, but honoured to be included. He was going to do his utmost to live up to the trust she was placing in him in sharing her history.

He nudged his glasses, “What do you want to do?”

Raquel looked about as determined as he’d ever seen her, as she declared, “Everything.”

A small smile on his face, he asked, “What does that mean?”

“Fund women’s organisations, make sure they can support women socio-economically, legally, and medically, fund advocacy groups that fight to change the law, connect activists around the world, pay lawyer’s fees to defend women, as well as any doctors or others who help them. I want to change the fucking world for my daughter Sergio, for all our daughters.”

Sergio nodded. “We have to keep a low profile though.”

She shot him a challenging look, “Oh, like your revolution kept a low profile?”

Mariví nodded, “Keeping a low profile is a luxury, women can’t afford. We’re literally dying by the thousands.”

“Exactly.”

Sergio was about to respond that wasn’t what he’d meant when Paula came out on the patio, went to stand next to her grandmother and took in the adults with a frown. “What are you doing?”

Mariví hugged her, “Strategising.”

“About what?”

“Changing the world. For women, for girls.”

Clearly remembering the recent conversation with her mother, Paula asked, “Against the patriarchy?”

Raquel smiled proudly, “Exactly.”

Nodding, Mariví declared, a fist raised, “Fuck the patriarchy.”

Eyes wide, an amused Raquel nodded and echoed her mother’s words, “Fuck the patriarchy.”

Trying her luck, Paula bit her lip and proclaimed, “Fuck the patriarchy.”

Laughing, Raquel leaned over to kiss her daughter’s cheek, “I’m so proud of you honey.” She shot her an admonishing look as she sat back down. “But watch your language, please, I’m not raising a sailor. Or maybe I am, who knows. If you want to be a sailor, go right ahead. But no cursing.”

“I don’t think I want to be a sailor.”

“What do you want to be?”

Leaning into her grandmother, Paula’s appearance turned pensive. “I don’t know… A teacher, an astronaut, a police or detective like you mom, a veterinarian, a firefighter… Maybe a scientist. Or a dancer.”

“Quite a few options there, then.”

Paula nodded and remembered why she’d come out, that she wanted to show her grandmother something she’d been working on. The two heading inside, Sergio turned to Raquel.

“Where do you want to start, Raquel?”

“Let’s get this woman a decent lawyer, then get a list of local organisations we can support. Covertly of course, I don’t want to take unnecessary risks any more than you do.”

Sergio nodded and she considered him softly, considered how he’d taken their conversation. “Thank you for listening, I know these things aren’t easy.”

He smiled at her gratefully, in awe of the woman she was, of how she never stopped fighting, of her willingness to include him in her fights. “Changing the world never is.”


	28. Those we've lost

Sergio had spent the morning running errands in the city and came back after lunch, finding Raquel and Mariví having tea outside, chatting about the latest corruption scandal back in Spain. He sat on the arm of Raquel’s chair and kissed her temple, then looked around the beach.

“Where’s Paula?”

Raquel seized one of his hands and peered up at him. “She’s in a bad mood, sequestered herself in her room.”

“Why is she in a bad mood?”

Raquel shrugged, “Hell if I knew, she wouldn’t tell me. Just ordered me out of her room.”

“Oh!” Eyes wide, Mariví’s hand flew up to her forehead. “I think Paulita is hurting.”

“What do you mean?”

“She asked me this morning if I hated her father, and if she had to hate him too.”

Raquel sighed, “Oh fuck.” Her thumb began drawing circles on Sergio’s hand, subconsciously hoping the motion would sooth her. “I thought it was weird he didn’t come up on her birthday… She must’ve been mulling it over since.”

Paula had turned ten just a few days prior and they had all braced themselves for the moment when she would realise it was her second birthday away from Spain, and from her father. But she’d been caught up in the excitement of it all and the fact that, as she put it, “Ten is a big one”, and Alberto had seemed far from her mind.

“I’m sorry honey, I would’ve told you sooner, but I only just remembered.”

“Don’t worry mom.” She let out a heavy sigh, “It was bound to happen. I’ll talk to her later, she made it pretty clear she doesn’t want me around right now.” She ran a hand through her hair, “Pretty sure I just caught a glimpse of what she’s going to be like as a teenager and I’m afraid we’ll be in for a ride.”

Mariví chuckled knowingly as Sergio shifted, “Do you mind if I give it a try?”

She shot him a surprised look and shook her head. “Not in the least, knock yourself out.”

He nodded, pushed up his glasses, planted a kiss on her hand and headed inside, with Raquel shouting after him. “Good luck!”

Sergio knocked on Paula’s door. There was no answer, he knocked again, and was met by an angry “Go away.”

He knocked one more time, before opening the door carefully, “Paula? I’m back.”

She was sitting at her desk, hunched over a book, chin resting on her hands and Sergio could practically feel the irritation radiating from her. He walked in slowly and came up behind her, letting one hand cradle her head. 

“What are you reading?”

Paula sighed heavily, eyes trailed on her book. “Did mom tell you to come see me?”

“No.” He adjusted his glasses, and sat on her bed. “Your abuela said something that made me want to talk to you.”

“What.”

He wasn’t sure he should talk to her, that he was up to the task, that she didn’t rather he leave her alone, but he tried to take solace in the fact that she hadn’t thrown him out yet. And he could undoubtedly relate to what Mariví had implied was happening: Paula was overwhelmed, hurting, and had retreated into herself. Wanting to help her navigate the pain, hoping he’d learned enough from Raquel to handle the situation, he gathered his courage, hoping he wouldn’t make matters worse.

“What you asked her this morning, about your father.”

“Oh.”

He caught her shoulders slumping and head sinking as she let her hands come to settle on her knees, and she eventually sniffed. Sergio came over to the desk, crouched down next to her, covering her small hands with one of his, bringing the other up to wipe away a tear that was threatening to fall.

“Paula, no one thinks you should hate him, least of all your mother.”

Her fingers fiddling with his, eyes focused on them, she spoke in a small voice, “But… She hates him.”

Sergio sighed. He'd never lied to Paula and wasn’t about to start now. But the girl didn’t need to know how her mother felt about Alberto, how they all felt about him. “She… It’s not about hate, Paula, not really. He… He hurt her… A lot. So, she needed to get away from him. And the most important thing for your mother is to keep you safe. So, she did what she needed to do to protect you. She’ll always do that.” He nudged her, “And I will too.”

“Is he bad? My dad?”

He took a deep breath. “I don’t think that’s for me to say… What do you think?”

Tears began running down her cheeks and she stood, walking into his arms.

Sergio held Paula close as she cried, letting one hand rub her back while the other cradled her head. His shoulder getting wet from her tears, he felt her small frame shaking against him, and his heart thoroughly shattered. 

He thought seeing Raquel in pain was the worst thing he’d ever experience, but this? Paula suffering all because of who her bastard of a father was, knowing he’d never be able to take away her pain, never be able to erase Alberto from her life? This was far, far worse. It was a pain he’d never be able to fix, one that she would have to learn to live with. Alberto was always going to be her father, and he was always going to be unworthy of her. 

And as much as he loved Paula as his own, he would never be able to replace her actual father.

As she calmed down, he planted a kiss in her hair and it took all he had to utter the words he knew she needed to hear. “You’re allowed to miss your dad Paula, to love him. And you can talk about him to us, you know that.”

She nodded against him and he let her go as he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. He nudged Paula.

“Look who’s here.”

Popcorn sauntered over to them and Paula sat down with a sad smile, crossing her legs, as the cat circled her. Sergio joined her on the floor, letting his back rest against her bed. He brought his hand out to pet Popcorn and they both remained silent, focused on the cat. Paula eventually spoke, avoiding looking at Sergio.

“Will I see him again?”

Her words tugged at his heart. He and Raquel had discussed this, knowing she’d want to see him, to talk to him, at some point. Knowing that the day would come when she’d demand more than vague answers stating her father wasn’t a very good man. Raquel would always swear that she’d keep Alberto away from her little girl forever, but they both knew they’d reach a time where she’d decide for herself. Raquel dreaded that day, and so did he.

“If you want, when you’re older.”

She shrugged, “I don’t know if I want to.”

He nudged her with his foot, “Don’t worry Paula, you don’t have to decide now.” She gave him a barely noticeable nod, and Sergio was struck by an unwelcome sense of familiarity. He knew her pain, knew it far too well. And if he really wanted to help Paula, he’d have to share that pain with her. He pushed his glasses up his nose and took a deep breath. “You remember I told you about my brother?”

“Uh-hum.” She looked at him with a sombre air, “He died.”

“Right, almost three years ago now.”

“You miss him?”

“I do, a lot. But the thing is Paula, he… He wasn’t a very good person.”

She squinted and bit her lip, clearly wanting to know more yet realising the seriousness of the topic. “He wasn’t?”

Sergio shook his head. “Not particularly. But he was my brother, and I miss him. He was good to me, and… Well, it’s difficult for me to accept, and to understand, that he was bad to others.”

A heavy sigh escaped Paula, and she moved to sit next to him, back against the bed. “Like my dad.”

He put his arm around her and pulled her in, hating that he’d just compared his brother to Raquel’s ex, hating that he couldn’t convince himself the comparison was unfair. She leaned into his side and the cat came over to lie on her legs.

“Something like that, yeah… You know, one of the many things your mother has taught me, is that there are some things that just are the way they are, that you can’t fix them. But that even though they hurt, you can still go on with your life, even be happy.”

The girl shrugged, stroking Popcorn. “I don’t know. I don’t get it.”

Sergio chuckled, “To be honest I don’t fully understand it either, but it seems to work. And you know what? I’m really glad that we’re all here together. I miss my brother, but I’m happy here, with you, your mom, your abuela,” he scratched the cat behind the ear, “and Popcorn.”

The big, hopeful eyes that looked up at him never failed to overwhelm Sergio. “Really?” 

He nodded, “Even though I never would have imagined I’d have a cat named Popcorn of all things. Socrates maybe, possibly Marie Curie, or da Vinci.”

Paula’s brow furrowed, a small smile breaking through the gloom, “I don’t know them.”

Resisting the urge to launch into a lecture on the spot, Sergio planted a kiss in her hair. “I’ll teach you.”

“I don’t think they’re very good cat names, Sergio.”

He chuckled in disbelief and poked her in the belly, “Oh, but Popcorn is?”

She nodded and cradled the cats face, “It’s perfect.”

“The point is Paula, your mother and abuela are sitting outside… We could join them. Do some origami, or go for a swim, or suggest we take the boat out for the evening.”

Scrunching her nose and biting her lip, he could tell Paula was wavering. “I guess…”

“It wouldn’t change that you miss your dad, or that I miss my brother, but missing them wouldn’t hurt as much. And that’s a good thing.”

“It is?”

He hummed as he hugged her closer. “Your mother swears it is. And she’s usually right.” He nudged her, “Don’t tell her I said that though.” 

Giggling, Paula nodded and they both got up. She was walking ahead of him out of her room when he grabbed her and flung her over his shoulder as she squealed. Heading out to the patio, they met Raquel who seemed surprised at the sight of them. She peered around Sergio at her daughter and seeing the smile she now sported, tickled her feet. Paula’s legs kicked on Sergio’s shoulder in response, and he pinned them down to keep them from kicking either of them, and to keep the girl firmly in place.

Raquel framed Sergio’s face, letting her thumb caress his cheek, and stretched up on the tip of her toes, planting a soft kiss on his lips as his free arm circled her waist. Paula’s demands to be let down seemed far away for the few seconds they allowed themselves to get lost in the feel of their locked lips, her tongue briefly grazing his.

She stood back down with a warm smile, fingers playing with his beard, and he darted in for a quick peck before leading the three of them outside, a hand at Raquel’s lower back. Proclaiming “I found Paula”, he plopped the giggling girl down next to her grandmother on the daybed.


	29. When I grow up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for continuing to read, leave kudos and especially for the wonderful comments that mean so. fucking. much.

The night skies in Palawan were truly something to behold. The lack of pollution meant millions of stars were visible on a clear night, and Raquel thought she’d never tire of gazing up at them. Paula had on several occasions tried counting the stars, but would always end up having to restart, the maximum she reached being thirty-two. 

Sergio had once tried to convince her they could devise a mathematical model to calculate how many they saw, but the girl had scootered closer into Raquel and told him it wasn’t the same. Raquel had briefly felt bad as she caught the rejection reflected on Sergio’s face, but was nonetheless pleased that her daughter valued the joy in the wonders of the world, in just sitting back and watching it, letting your imagination run wild, being in awe at the magnitude of the universe, rather than seeing scientific calculations reflected in it.

Ever the curious mind though, Paula had approached Sergio a few days later, saying she needed to present something in school and asked if he could help her count the stars, and Raquel’s cup ran over in that moment, as she allowed herself to see the best of both herself and Sergio reflected in Paula. Allowing herself to hope that whatever damage Alberto had done to her daughter was steadily being healed by time, their current life, and Sergio.

She was sitting on a blanket on the beach, while Sergio was inside, tucking Paula in and no doubt sneaking into his study for some quiet time going over papers, reports, news, notes, or all of the aforementioned. It was getting chilly, but she couldn’t tear herself away from the view. Alone with her thoughts on the beach, they wandered to her current life. It was a life with an inner tranquillity she couldn’t have imagined ever having after her ex-husband had begun revealing his true colours, and gradually breaking her down. 

She felt stable in herself, stable in her relationship with Sergio, and genuinely in balance with life. 

But she knew she was going to have to figure out what to do to fill her days at some point. As much as she enjoyed the quiet lifestyle she’d had for a year and some months, being a housewife simply wasn’t in the cards for her, and the little activities they’d started undertaking to support women’s organisations in the Philippines wasn’t enough. Her brain craved more, her body craved more.

Raquel had decided to stay at home since arriving in Palawan to give all of them the opportunity to adapt, to heal, to build something together. It was time she never had in Madrid, and she felt like they had all slowed down in Palawan, calmed down. She wouldn’t trade the moments they’d had, neither the ups nor the downs, for anything. Paula was adjusting well, and Raquel was glad she’d decided to take the time to truly be there, to be truly present, for her daughter and for her mother. Her little girl, not so little anymore, had been through a lot, having been literally ripped away from her home, her friends, her country, not to mention her father. And the girl was still at times struggling to accept that she wouldn’t see Alberto again, and that perhaps he wasn’t a very good man. Struggling trying to make sense of what it all meant for her. There were hard times, but seeing Paula happy, seeing the bond she was forming with Sergio, and seeing her mother doing as well as she could be, Raquel felt at peace, and hopeful for the future.

Her mother had said something a few days prior, that Raquel hadn’t laughed this much in years. Reflecting on it, she couldn’t deny it was true. She had always had a happy predisposition, had always loved to laugh with friends, colleagues, family, but the later years with Alberto had left her with an ever-present doom, and a gloomy outlook on life. She would still laugh, with her mother, Paula, colleagues and friends, even with Sergio when they first met, but it hadn’t come as easily as it had in her youth, and hadn’t been quite as full, would rarely reach her eyes, her heart.

Now, she found herself laughing, chuckling, smiling, teasing. She felt like she was finally Raquel again. She thought she’d lost herself along the way years earlier, in all likelihood for good. Her therapist in Madrid had told her that healing would take time, but that she would one day look in the mirror, and once again see herself in the reflection. Raquel hadn’t believed her, the possibility seaming endlessly improbable. But that day had undeniable come. She was happy, genuinely happy. Life wasn’t perfect, Sergio wasn’t perfect, nor was she, but it was good. She was herself again. Older, wiser, scarred, but herself.

But that also meant she’d begun itching to solve some crimes. Well, she supposed these days she was more likely to commit crimes than solve them, but the bottom line was, she was going to need something to do. A job of some kind. They were all stable, and it was time for her to get back out there, to contribute to society, not just to her family. 

She’d need to talk to Sergio about this soon. They knew that their future was together but other than that, none had spoken about the inevitable day when they were bound to get an itch. She’d always had an exciting career, had sought out the adrenaline rush it brought with it for a reason. He had planned for one event his entire life, had executed it close to flawlessly, and was bound to feel a void, to miss the thrill of it all. 

It was time to talk about it.

A set of pillows and blankets landing next to her with a thud brought her out of her reverie. Sergio came down, arranged the pillows for both of them and laid down, hands under his head, settling his gaze on the sky.

“What are you thinking about?”

Raquel laid down as well and scooted in next to him, kissing his cheek as she did, and Sergio brought an arm around her. Noticing her cold skin, he covered them with a blanket.

“About what I’m going to be when I grow up.”

Chuckling, Sergio murmured, “When you grow up”, and kissed her temple. “The world is your oyster, Raquel. You don’t have to wait until you grow up.”

“Mmmm… An oyster in which I’m a wanted criminal though, that does somewhat limit my options.”

Sergio hummed. “You itching to negotiate something?”

“Not really, no. I think I peaked negotiating with you.” She reached up and kissed him gently, letting her fingers briefly graze his beard before settling back into him. “I enjoy solving puzzles though, trying to understand what motivates criminals, looking to the past, figuring out what they’ve tried to hide, to uncover that one clue that you can start pulling at, the one that’ll lead you to them.”

Sergio squirmed, reminded of how she had chased him down, and of the fact that he would in all likelihood have ended up in prison if she hadn’t been the unique woman that she was.

“So, you want to get back to work?”

“In some capacity, yes. I have no idea how though, or what I want to do.”

“Well, what are you good at?”

She looked up at him in surprise, “What do you mean? I’m good at everything.”

Chuckling, Sergio squeezed her tighter. “Ah yes, I forgot.”

Beaming at him, she pecked his lips once, twice, three times and when she pulled back his hand came to the back of her head, brought her closer again and kissed her properly, smiling against her. His hands snuck down her back and a low moan escaped her as he sucked her lower lip, his hands caressing her ass. Raquel brought one leg over his and let her hand come around his neck, deepening the kiss, when they were interrupted by a voice coming from the house.

“Mom?”

Sighing, Raquel gave Sergio an apologetic look. He shrugged, gave her a chaste kiss, and answered, “Out here, Paula.”

Paula came outside in her pajamas and stopped on the steps of the patio, frowning. “What are you doing?”

“Looking at the stars.”

Her face broke into a smile and she skipped down the stairs and over to them, eyeing them demandingly until they laughingly made some space for her. She snuggled in under the blanket between them, and Raquel kissed her forehead while Sergio made sure the blanket covered the three of them.

“What are you doing up, honey?”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

Chuckling, Raquel stroked hair off her daughter’s face. “You gave it all of what… Twenty minutes?”

Paula sighed heavily, “It felt like forever.” Looking at the sky, she added, “It’s so pretty.”

Raquel hummed, “Isn’t it?”

Getting one hand out from under the blanket, she pointed at the stars, “Sergio, is that the small bear?” 

Sergio scooted closer to Paula to see where she was pointing. “It is, yes. Very good Paula. You know, Ursa Minor was an important constellation for navigation for the Phoenicians, more than three thousand years ago.”

Paula gasped, her arm still up, tracing shapes in the stars. “Three thousand? That’s such a long time ago.”

“It really is. But the ancient name for this constellation actually has nothing to do with bears, the ancient Greeks called it Dog’s tail.”

“Why?”

“That’s a good question. The origin of that name is actually unclear, but there are of course theories. Now…”

Raquel turned to her side and let one arm come around Paula’s waist. She planted a kiss on her daughter’s cheek, snuggled closer to her, and let Sergio recount the mythology of Ursa Minor, detouring into Ursa Major, with Paula interjecting with thoughts and questions. She wasn’t sure this was the best way to get the girl to go to sleep, but in that moment, on a blanket on the beach with them, allowing herself to dose off to the sound of Sergio and Paula discussing matters of the world, Raquel couldn’t possibly care less.


	30. A fright

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to anyone who’s read, given kudos, and especially left comments <3
> 
> I’ve been meaning to give a special thanks to any writers who have done this. I’m unable to read anything while writing as it messes with my head, so I’m beyond impressed by you. Your generosity inspires me and I’m truly sorry for being such an asshole and not being able to return the favour.
> 
> To anyone reading The paths we choose, I’m afraid it won’t be updated for a few weeks. I’m currently riddled with self-doubt so need some time to re-group before taking on that story again. I’m looking forward to getting my head out of my ass and dive back into it after wrapping up this story though!

_“It’s impossible to talk about this without mentioning one of the unexpected victims of the assault on the Royal Mint almost three years ago. The then eight-year-old daughter of Inspector Murillo was kidnapped by her mother a year and a half after the heist. Given that the Inspector had an affair with the Professor during the events at the Royal Mint, and even helped him escape, it is widely believed that she took her daughter and joined him. While there have been reports of sighting since, none has ever been confirmed and the three seem to have simply fallen off the face of the earth.”_

_“That’s right. The girl’s father, Inspector Alberto Vicuña has been tirelessly searching for his daughter ever since, and has been a strong advocate against the glorification of the Professor and his gang, and the support that their actions garnered, arguing that they are in fact nothing more than robbers, common criminals. He has further repeatedly stated his grave concern for his daughter’s well-being, since Inspector Murillo displayed increasingly erratic behaviour during, and after the heist, and that she…”_

Raquel’s arms came around him from behind the sofa and she kissed his temple, “Why are you watching that?”

He shrugged, eyes glued to the screen, and Raquel placed her hands above his heart, hoping to sooth him with the contact. She knew exactly why he was watching it. 

They’d been in Puerto Princesa that day to run some errands, and were having lunch at a seaside restaurant when they overheard a Spanish couple arriving. The couple smiled at them before sitting down on a table not far. It wasn’t unusual to run into Spanish tourists on the island, but it always put them on edge, particularly when they were so close and had clearly gotten a good look at them. While they showed no signs of recognition, they could very well realise who they were later that day, or even that week, or whenever they’d catch a glimpse of a photo of Raquel or Sergio. 

Raquel excused herself, went outside to call one of their contacts who would come to survey the couple, while Sergio paid the bill for a meal they hadn’t finished and joined her outside. Grabbing her hand, he led her back to their car, walking as fast as they could without raising suspicion. 

In the car, they rattled through the evacuation protocol. Mariví was back at the house, possibly on a walk, but Paula was at school. If they got the signal, they would have to split up. Raquel would take Mariví and the cat in the car while Sergio would take the motorcycle to Paula’s school, pick her up, and they would all meet at the rendez-vous point. Clutching his phone in one hand, Sergio squeezed Raquel’s hand with the other as she was driving, trying to reassure himself as much as her that they hadn’t been recognised. Their contact would have called them if the couple had contacted the police or acted suspiciously, but they hadn’t heard anything, which meant they were in all likelihood still at the restaurant, enjoying their meal, unaware of the havoc they’d wreaked on Sergio and Raquel’s day.

It had happened a handful of times since Raquel came to Palawan, and while nothing had ever come of it, it always threw them both off course. It made them aware of how quickly they could lose everything, and they would be off balance for days afterwards, leaving them clinging to one another in bed at night. In the direct aftermath though, Sergio would burry himself in surveillance and news reports, checking that his team hadn’t missed anything, while Raquel would tend to busy herself with Paula and her mother. They would come together at night though, reconnecting, letting the other’s body reassure them that their lives weren’t a mere illusion that was slowly but surely slipping out of their hands.

Raquel rested her head on his shoulder and pressed a long kiss to his neck, following it up with a quick peck. He smelled good, he was there, he was hers. They hadn’t been discovered; this was still real, it was still her life. “Are they saying anything new?”

“Not really.”

With the segment lingering on Alberto and speculating on Raquel’s role in the heist, as well as her mental stability, she could feel Sergio’s shoulder tensing. He would occasionally do this; get lost in the past, feel guilty about the way her reputation had been so thoroughly shattered, believing there was something he could do to fix it all, letting the fact that Alberto would never truly pay for his actions eat away at him. 

Raquel on the other hand, had lost too much to Alberto already, and had accepted to leave it in the past. It would still anger her at times, she’d occasionally feel the old resentment return, and feel overwhelmed at the injustice of it all, of how her colleagues, and everyone else, had treated her after she pressed charges against her ex-husband, but it would come in flashes and she’d quickly leave it behind. She had a good life, and didn’t want to spend any more time thinking about, or dealing with, Alberto; he'd already cost her too much. Too much time, and too much of herself. So, she let him be, not willing to turn holding him accountable for what he’d done into a crusade.

She pressed a kiss to Sergio’s cheek, whispered in his ear that Alberto didn’t matter anymore, that her reputation didn’t matter, hoping that he’d hear her, believe her, that he wouldn’t get stuck in the guilt. 

His lips forming into a small smile, he covered the hands on his chest with his as he nodded, silently letting her know he was with her, wasn’t getting lost. He turned to plant a soft kiss on her lips before returning his attention to the screen. “Did that couple call the police?”

“No, and they haven’t searched for us or anything related to the heist, or Paula, on their phones.”

He breathed a sigh of relief, “That’s good.”

“Mmmm… The team in Pakistan will continue to monitor it and call in case anything comes up, but it seems like we’re in the clear.”

Wanting to break the hold she could tell the scare, and their past, had on him, and needing to be close to him after the events of the day, Raquel climbed over the sofa to sit next to Sergio and snuck a hand underneath his shirt as she leaned in and began kissing his neck.

“Raquel, I’m watching this.”

Smiling against his skin, she spoke in between kisses, her hand running over his chest, “I know. Keep watching, never mind me.”

She let her hand wander down to his crotch and felt the vibrations of his voice against her lips as he warned her, “Raquel…”

“No, no. You just keep watching a news segment about yourself… Whatever floats your boat”, smirking, she bit his neck lightly, “Professor.”

Chuckling, he closed the laptop, grabbed her by the waist and flipped her down on the sofa, her squeal turning into a hum as he let his body hover over her and leaned in to kiss her. 

As he let his weight drop onto her, pressing her deeper into the sofa, Raquel suddenly jerked and broke the kiss, exclaiming against his lips, “Ouch, fuck!”

“What? What’s wrong?”

She shifted under him and brought her hand in under her, “Shit!”

Opening her hand to reveal a piece of red Lego, they both burst out laughing. “What the fuck?”

Laughing, Sergio’s body dropped onto hers again and he buried his face in her neck, breathing her in. She let her fingers play with the hair in his neck, while her other hand ran up and down his back.

“Is this what you thought life would be like when you dreamed of becoming an internationally wanted criminal mastermind?” He begun pressing small kisses to her neck as one hand wandered down to cup her ass and she hummed in contentment. “All thrill all the time, your sexual exploits interrupted by Lego?”

He chuckled, before looking at her soberly, declaring, “It’s infinitely more.”

Scrunching her nose, she pinched his neck. “Sweet-talker.”

He kept eyeing her softly as he whispered, “Let’s take the boat out tomorrow.”

She eyed him curiously, “Just you and me?”

“Just you and me.”

Smiling, she nodded. “Ok.”

“I’ll bring the Lego.”

She laughed heartily, framed his face, taking him in, and brought him down to her, pressing herself against his groin as she kissed him. His tongue caressing hers, he shifted and kissed the corner of her mouth, then nipped his way along her jawline. 

“Sergio?”

Working his way down her neck as one hand snuck underneath her top to cup her breast, he pressed his growing bulge into her, causing them both to gasp, before finally responding, “Hmmm?”

“I have a question for you.” His lips on her neck and warm hands on her body all-consuming, she added with a smile, “A serious question.”

Sergio let his hand run over her body, as he planted small kisses to her collarbone, “What’s that?”

“What do you want?”

He answered without hesitation, nipping and sucking at her neck, sending a shiver of anticipation through her. “You.”

She brought his face up to her and could see her own desire reflected in his dark eyes as she asked, “How?”

He swallowed hard, needing to be as close to her as possible to assure himself that they were still real. “Slow. Long.”

Smiling knowingly, she kissed him gently before they got up. Raquel took him by the hand, led them into their bedroom, and locked the door behind her. She put on soft music and made him sit on the bed as she lit candles around the room. 

She came to stand in front of him and slowly removed her clothes, one item after the other. With only her underwear left Sergio removed his own shirt, then his trousers and stood, bridging the distance between them. 

His gaze coming up to meet hers, they didn’t touch, just breathed in unison for a few beats, letting their breaths and the eye contact connect them. Sergio’s hands eventually snaked around her, unhooking her bra, and removing it slowly, carefully. His fingers burned against her skin and her breath hitched at the contact. He took a step back to admire her and let his hands run over her breasts, a small gasp escaping her.

His hands coming down to the hem of her underwear, he let his finger run over them before pulling them down. Biting her lip, Raquel looked up at him as she freed him of his boxers, then reached down to guide him to her wet folds. 

They both moaned at the contact as Raquel hooked on leg around him and grinded against his hard cock, her hands on his shoulders. 

The feel of his erection against her clit made her want to jump him on the spot, but she fought the urge. She allowed herself a few moments to simply take him, lightly running her fingers over his arms, while he was holding on to her, and her leg as he picked up the pace, pressing against her, pleading to let him enter her. 

Tilting her face up, she let herself hover just above his lips and purred for him to sit on the bed, backing him down onto it.

He did as told while she went around to her nightstand table, got a bottle out then climbed on the bed and sat behind him. She pressed her breasts against him, planted a kiss behind his ear, as her hand came around to grab his dick, and he thought he might immediately come undone.

But she soon stopped stroking him, whispering “Not yet, cariño”, and he swallowed hard. Opening the bottle, she drizzled massage oil into her hands, then let them run over his back. She massaged his neck and shoulders and alternated between applying the pressure she knew he craved, with the light touches she knew would drive him mad.

Lastly, Raquel let her fingers run lightly all over his back, down his arms, tracing the lines in his palms then leaned in and kissed his back, his neck, his ear, and finally the corner of his mouth, bringing his head to her.

Smiling, he turned around, brought her up onto his lap and framed her face. Hovering just above her lips, he took her in as they breathed in unison and her hands traced his shoulders.

Every touch, every breath counted and augmented the already near unbearable tension between them. Sergio finally captured her lower lip, her tongue lightly darting in and running over his, and they both moaned as Raquel pressed herself against him. 

They deepened the kiss and Raquel wrapped her legs around him, grinding against his hard member, feeling it tease her entrance. As she felt herself nearing the tipping point she slowed down, Sergio grunting in frustration as she did, and leaned back, chest heaving.

Sergio took the opportunity to run his hands up her back, catching her hair, and leaned in to lick her right nipple. He covered it with his mouth, sucked gently and released it before taking it in again, sucking furiously this time. 

She took him in her hand again and began stroking him. Slowly at first, then quicker before slowing back down again while he alternated between sucking and releasing her nipple. When the pressure became unbearable and Raquel could tell from Sergio’s grunts that he was getting close, she released him, grabbed his face, rested her forehead against his, and let their breathing even out. 

He shot her an incredulous look and she answered his silent question, grinning, “You said long and slow.”

He grumbled something about the fact that she’d choose this specific moment to finally listen to him, but she turned in his lap, her back resting against his chest, and finally took him in, both groaning at the heightened sensation caused by the sweet agony of anticipation. She turned her head towards him and kissed him deeply. 

Raquel’s entire body felt alive, tuned into that very moment, to every touch, to every kiss. She brought one hand down to envelop his base and begun stroking him, gradually increasing the pressure. Trusting that she could lean against him, she let her other hand come up around his head. As Sergio’s hand travelled from her breasts down to her clit, she quickly felt the tingling pleasure take hold of her and she finally surrendered to it. Sergio continuing stroking her clit as he thrust deeper and harder into her, and Raquel did her best to remain coherent enough to meet his thrusts.

As Raquel was riding out her orgasm, her walls tightening around him and her body twitching against his, her head leaning back against his shoulders as repeated low moans escaped her, Sergio let himself go as well with a heavy grunt. Experiencing one of the strongest orgasms of his life, he emptied himself into her with a few last blissful thrusts, and wrapped his arms around her before collapsing on the bed, taking her down with him.

He rolled them to the side, spooning her, not quite believing it was possible to feel this connected, this close, to another person. Words seeming superfluous, he placed small kisses on her neck, in her hair, and just behind her ear as she hummed, a hand scratching his beard.


	31. Marked territory

Sergio was in the kitchen, preparing lunch, when Raquel brought Paula home from a sleepover. The girl skipped in, gave him a hug, and let him know she had loads of stories to share. Raquel told her to put her things away first, and Paula rolled her eyes, assured Sergio she’d quickly be back to tell him everything, and left with overly heavy steps, dragging her backpack behind her, making her discontent clear to her mother.

Looking after her, Raquel shook her head, chuckling, and came up to Sergio, letting her hand run up and down his back as she planted a kiss at the corner of his mouth.

“What can I do?”

Smirking, he brought his arms around her waist, interlacing his hands to rest just above her ass. “I can think of a few things.”

Amused, eyebrows raised, she asked, “Really?”

Humming, he leaned down to capture her lips as he brought her closer to him. Her hands came up his arms, briefly resting at the nape of his neck before wrapping around him, and she slipped her tongue into his mouth as she pressed herself to him.

Sergio picked her up, and her feet dangled off the ground as he deepened the kiss. He couldn’t get enough of her at the moment and would take any opportunity to linger in her embrace, to sneak in one more kiss, to be close to her. She smiled knowingly as she pulled back and planted a few small pecks to his mouth before nodding towards the chopping board.

“What are you making.”

He put her down, framed her face and kissed her once more, then released her with a care-free smile. “Grilled fish, salad and rice.”

“Mmm…” She let a hand run over his back and stood on the tip of her toes to peer over his shoulder as he resumed chopping. “Sounds good.” She kissed his shoulder blade, “What do you want me to do.”

Glancing back at her, he answered earnestly, still smiling, “What you’re doing.”

Chuckling, she buried her face in his back, letting her hands snake around him and rest on his torso. She breathed him in, kissed his back, his neck, then let him go with a squeeze, getting rice and a strainer out from the cupboards. 

She was rinsing the rice as Sergio was chopping onions, chilli and lime, when Paula came back out and sat at the counter, snatching up a piece of carrot Sergio had already cut and placed in a bowl.

“So, how was the sleepover Paula?”

The girl broke into a wide smile, “Really good!” Crunching on the vegetable, she eyed him suspiciously, head tilted, and asked, “What’s that?”

“Hmm? What’s what?”

“That, on your neck.” She pointed at him, “Is it a bruise?”

Sergio put the knife down, and his eyes shot to Raquel as he turned a light shade of red. She kept her focus squarely on the rice though, biting her cheek in an attempt to stifle a laugh.

He should’ve payed closer attention to what she was doing after catching that smirk and twinkle in her eyes the previous night, should’ve known she wouldn’t just let it go. But she had distracted him expertly, and he’d had no idea what she was up to.

_They were both sitting in bed; Raquel with her legs crossed, facing him, Sergio with his back against the headboard, a hand on her thigh, and he had just confessed he’d never gotten a hickey. It was nothing he regretted or wished he’d gotten to experience; he merely stated the fact. But Raquel’s eyes went wide in disbelief._

_“Sergio, really?”_

_He shrugged, and she told him he hadn’t fully lived until he’d experienced the shame of trying to conceal one, inevitably failing to do so, its origin blatantly obvious to anyone. Sergio flatly declared that it didn’t sound like a particularly appealing experience, to which Raquel pursed her lips, a playful grin soon appearing on her face._

_“Raquel, no.”_

_Feigning innocence, she gave him a surprised look. “What?”_

_“I know that look, and let me be clear: I do not want a hickey.”_

_An eyebrow raised, she held up her hands in mock defeat, “I heard you…” She bit her lip and tried not to smile, “You want a hickey.”_

_He held up a finger and attempted a stern voice to let her know that he was serious, even though he couldn’t resist her like this, mischievous, the corners of her mouth twitching in amusement. “No, I don’t.”_

_Chuckling, she leaned in and kissed him lightly, “Alright, alright, don’t worry. I heard you loud and clear: You do **not** want a hickey.”_

_He nodded, “That’s right, I do not.”_

_But she had two definite advantages. The first being that he didn’t know what getting one would feel like. The second, that he’d been all over her lately and she knew he’d be easily distracted as a result. Sure enough, he soon had her pinned down under him, and she grabbed the opportunity when he entered her to target a sensitive spot on his neck, and suck at his skin. Gently at first, then harder, earning a deep growl from him as she left her mark._

Sergio cleared his throat before answering Paula. “Yes, it’s a bruise.”

“Does it hurt?”

His eyes unsurely darting across the room, he nudged his glasses, “Uhm… No, no it doesn’t.”

“What happened?”

Squirming under Paula’s questioning, Sergio shifted from one foot to the other. Raquel came up to him, let her hand caress his lower back and kissed his cheek, winking as she pinched his bum, “Go on then, Sergio, tell her what happened.”

Sergio swallowed hard and Raquel returned to the rice with a smirk, as Mariví walked into the kitchen. She stopped as she passed Sergio, and eyed him curiously. It wasn’t unusual for Mariví not to recognise him, so he didn’t think much of it until she brought her hand to his chin and tilted his head. Chuckling, she turned to Raquel with a raised eyebrow.

“Really sweetheart, you’re not a teenager anymore.”

Unable to contain herself any longer, Raquel’s laughter filled the room and a sheepish Sergio darted towards the hallway mirror to examine the damage. She came up from behind and wrapped her arms around him.

“Raquel, why would you do that?”

Her body was shaking with laughter against him. “Think of it as a rite of passage.”

He huffed, “One which I expressly said I had no desire to go through.”

“Be that as it may, you did rather enjoy my administering it…”

Sergio cleared his throat and shifted as Raquel snuck in under his arm. She reached up and kissed the bruise. “It really isn’t that bad. It’ll heal in a few days.”

She beamed brightly at him and even if he had been genuinely upset with her rather than just embarrassed, no mortified, the way she looked at him right then would’ve undone any irritation in an instant. 

Sporting a pleased smile as she scrunched her nose, Raquel added, “But for now, consider yourself marked, Professor.”

Chuckling, he leaned down to meet her in a quick kiss before following her back to the kitchen, where Mariví shot him a knowing look, making him wish he could sink right through the floor. Any hope he’d had that Paula would drop the matter was dashed when he caught her eyes trailed on him as he returned to the chopping board. Sure enough, she soon spoke again.

“So?” Paula demanded, “What happened? How did you get hurt?”

Sergio cleared his throat and looked to Raquel for help, but she didn’t pay him any attention as she poured rice, water and spices into the rice-cooker.

“Sergio! Why won’t you tell me?” 

Paula was getting annoyed at being left out, the adults in the room clearly all knowing something she didn’t, and Raquel finally came to his rescue. Running her fingers over the bruise, she let her hand wander to his back, scratching it, as she answered Paula. 

“I kissed him really hard.”

Paula scrunched her face in a mix of confusion and disgust as Raquel snatched up a carrot and began munching on it, leaning over the counter. “Why?”

Raquel shrugged, “It was fun.” Unable to resist teasing him just a little bit more, she nudged Sergio with her hip, “Wasn’t it cariño?”

Sergio’s head shot in her direction, silently pleading with her to put an end to his misery, and much to his relief one of the Murillo-women finally took pity on him. 

Mariví nudged her granddaughter, “Paulita, honey, why don’t you help me set the table?” 

Eyes darting between the adults, convinced she wasn’t being told the whole truth, Paula eventually relented, hopping down and fetching plates as she shot dirty looks in Sergio and Raquel’s direction.

Squirming, Sergio leaned towards Raquel and whispered, “See what I mean? The Murillo stare. I’m telling you Raquel, it’s impossible to withstand if you haven’t grown up around it.”

Laughing, Raquel kissed him softly and let her fingers run through his beard. “You make it too easy for us though Sergio.” She winked as she snatched up another carrot, “Far too easy.”


	32. A year and a half

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayt, last chapter ya’ll!
> 
> This wraps up their time in Palawan, I hope you’ll like it… For a perhaps more satisfying closure (and for those who’ve asked for a scene of Paula calling Sergio dad) you might want to read the epilogue of On solid grounds.
> 
> A massive thank you to anyone who’s read this story, left kudos, and particularly left comments <3

Sergio walked out of his study in search of Raquel, mind reeling, having just gotten the call he’d hoped would never come. Tokyo had activated her handler, which meant something was wrong, possibly horribly so. The fact that it was only Tokyo, and not Río as well, was worrying, though it could easily just mean that they had parted ways in the three years since he’d last seem them. 

He found Raquel in the kitchen, having a coffee with Mariví, laughing, oblivious to the fact that their lives had just come crashing down on them. Oblivious to the fact that everything was about to change, that the world had finally caught up to them.

“Raquel.”

The tone in Sergio’s voice froze the blood in her veins, and she didn’t want to acknowledge him, didn’t want to hear what he had to say. Whatever it was, she knew it was bad, the regret in his eyes and the way he squeezed her hand as he came to grab it, tugging at it to get her to follow him, told her as much. She didn't want to go with him, wanted to stay right where she was. But she did follow him, to his study, let him sit her down and take her hands in his as he crouched in front of her with a sombre expression.

He cut straight to the point. “I don’t know what happened Raquel, I don’t have any details, but a handler has been activated in Latin America. By Tokyo.”

She nodded with a heavy sigh, letting one hand come up to caress his cheek. Standing on his knees, he leaned in to kiss her softly, and enveloped her in a hug, murmuring words of comfort. To himself or to her, she wasn’t sure.

_A year and a half._

That’s what they got. 

A year and a half in paradise, then one of Sergio’s band members had needed to activate their handlers. Tokyo. Of course it had been fucking Tokyo. 

Raquel had no idea what had happened, but whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. She supposed she shouldn’t blame the woman. She’d known that this, their life in Palawan, was too good to be true, known that it couldn’t last. That it wouldn’t last. But she still felt like the wind had been knocked out of her, and the uncertainty of what might come next made her cling to Sergio as he held her close. 

A heavy sigh escaped him, and his murmurs against her skin were barely audible. “I’m sorry Raquel, I’m so sorry. So sorry.”

She shook her head, kissing his neck. “It’s not your fault Sergio.” She pulled his head back, making him look at her, thumb tracing his cheek. “Let’s not jump to conclusions, we don’t know what happened yet, nor what this means.”

He nodded, looking unconvinced, and knowing what he feared she steadied her voice, drawing from a strength she didn’t know she had. 

“Whatever happens Sergio, we’re in this together.” He wouldn’t look at her and she insisted, “You hear me? You, and me. We will deal with this together. This isn’t the end for us.” She wouldn’t let it be. “It’s just a change, a change we knew would come sooner or later.”

As he finally looked at her, she detected a hint of hope in his eyes, and asserted what was essentially a vow, a promise to them both. “We’re a team. We’ll figure this out. Ok?”

He gave her a small smile, taking solace in her conviction that they could do this, whatever _this_ would turn out to entail. He caressed the hand that was on his cheek, “Ok.”

“Ok.” She kissed him gently, letting her tongue briefly brush over his lips. “Now… What’s next?”

“The handler will let me know when they get closer to Thailand, and I’ll meet Tokyo there. Then we’ll see.”

“Ok.” She rested her forehead against his. “Until then Sergio, we’re still here, in Palawan, with our family, and you need to stay with me.”

“I will.”

She sighed deeply, “I mean it. I won’t be able to handle you retreating into yourself, not now.”

Determined to live up to her expectations of him, he kissed her and assured, “I won’t.”

Sergio laid his head down to her lap, his hands on either side of her thighs, and her fingers began running through his hair. Sergio closed his eyes, wanting to stay in that moment, letting the feeling of Raquel’s fingers in his hair and the silence only interrupted by their breathing ground him to her. 

Hand still in his hair, her voice eventually brought him back to reality. “I’m going to need a code name then… Whatever’s coming, I need an alias. A city name.”

He didn’t want to think about it, vaguely hoping he would just see Tokyo in Thailand, find her a new location, and return to Palawan, to Raquel. But even meeting her entailed a risk and in case anything happened, someone would need to have a way of contacting Raquel. She was right. She would need a code name. 

“You don’t want to be the Inspector?”

“No. It wouldn’t be right. It should be a city name, like the rest of your band.”

He tightened his grip on her thighs, “But you’re not like the rest of my band.”

Raquel chuckled, “I should hope so.” She stroked his cheek, “It’s just a name, cariño… But we should have one for me since things are changing. If I have to deal with your team, or the handlers, I can’t be Raquel. It wouldn’t be prudent.”

“And Raquel is for me.”

She smiled warmly at him, “I mean… It was my name before I met you.”

He turned and planted a kiss to the palm of the hand that was on his cheek, “You know what I mean…” She hummed in reply. “So, what do you want it to be?”

She hadn’t thought about it, but the first city that popped into her mind made sense, “Lisboa.”

“Why?”

“No reason. That’s the whole point, isn’t it? A city with no ties to us?”

“Yes, it was for the first heist… But it won’t take long for anyone to figure out just who Lisboa is.”

She shrugged, “Either way. It feels right, don’t you think?”

He peered at her as he tried out the name. “Lisboa. Lisboa and the Professor. Lisboa constantly questions the Professor. Lisboa disregards the Professor and does whatever the hell she wants. Lisboa seduces the Professor.” 

Pinching the skin behind his ear, she added, “Lisboa dropkicks the Professor for being a jackass.”

Chuckling, he nodded. “You’re right, it’s perfect.” 

* * *

“Mom!”

“What is it honey?”

“The phone is ringing! Is it Sergio?”

Raquel came into the kitchen where Paula was staring at the burner phone on the counter. “Should be, yes.”

“Can I answer it? I want to tell him about my test.”

Feeling particularly sentimental given their current circumstances, Raquel was touched that Paula wanted to talk to Sergio with him being away for three days. Smiling, she caressed her daughter’s cheek, “Sure, go ahead.”

“Sergio?”

Expecting Raquel to answer, Sergio asked in surprise, “Paula?”

“Yes! Mom said I could answer the phone.”

“Of course, of course.” While he had expected Raquel, he was just as happy to talk to Paula, her cheery voice making it impossible to be anything other than hopeful, something he desperately needed at the moment. “How are you?”

“Good.”

“And how’s Popcorn?”

“Good. He caught another mouse yesterday, it was really gross.”

“Did he?”

“Uh-hum.”

“Was the mouse still alive?”

“Yeah. And it ran away in the kitchen and mom had to chase it for a really long time.”

He smiled, picturing Raquel cursing profusely as she crawled on their kitchen floor, trying to catch a mouse. “You know, there are a few different reasons to cats bringing home prey that’s still alive. One is that they want to show you how much they appreciate you, and so…”

Paula cut him off, “I know, Sergio. You told me already.”

He could imagine the girl rolling her eyes at him, and he chuckled at the thought. “So did the mouse survive?”

“Yes. Mom locked Popcorn into my room and finally caught it and let it go outside.” 

“Ok, that’s good… And how did your math test go, did you already get the results back?”

“Uh-hum, today. I had zero faults!”

“That’s really good Paula! Well done. Are appropriate celebrations planned?”

“Yeah. Mom bought some ice cream and we’re making pizza tonight… Will you be home?”

The hopeful tone in her question jabbed at his heart, but he tried his best to keep his voice steady. “I wish I could, but I won’t be home for another two days, possibly three.”

“Oh, ok.” There was a small pause before she added, “I miss you.”

His heart contracted hearing her words, and he cursed Tokyo for ripping him away from his family, from a daughter he needed to be there for. He needed, no wanted, to help with her homework, listen to her endless theories about life, laugh at her jokes, even though ten-year-olds weren’t exactly renowned for their sophisticated sense of humour. He’d gone to the market earlier that day to buy Paula a present, knowing it would do little to compensate for what was to come, but hoping all the same that she’d like it, and that she’d one day forgive him for upending their quiet lives.

Though he’d only been gone for three days, the fact that their days in Palawan as they’d known them were in all likelihood numbered, made him desperately wish he was back there with his family. “I miss you too Paula, a lot.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s really quiet here. No one tells me jokes, or makes a mess in my room, or kicks me in my sleep.”

The girl giggled. “Oh, mom wants to talk to you.”

“Alright. I’ll see you soon Paula.”

“Wait, wait!”

“What is it?”

“Where are you?”

He chuckled. Paula had gotten into maps lately and he was certain she was going to pull out the world atlas they’d gotten her for her tenth birthday to locate him.

“I’m in Thailand.”

“Okay… Bye.”

He didn’t have time to answer before he heard Paula telling Raquel that he was in Thailand and that she’d take her atlas outside to her grandmother, to find exactly where that was. He heard Raquel answer “Ok”, before taking the phone.

“Sergio?”

They’d agreed that as a precaution he’d only call once on his trip and hearing her voice, some of the tension he’d felt since kissing her goodbye finally alleviated. Hearing her use his name had the same effect as it did early in their relationship; it centred him, reminded him that she knew him, accepted him, loved him, was with him. “Raquel.”

The relief evident in his voice brought a smile to her face. They were still in this together, they were still them. 

“Did you meet up with her?”

“Not yet, I’ll head out in a about an hour.”

“Ok. How did the trip go?”

Understanding what she was asking, he gave her the facts he hoped would reassure her. “Smoothly. No indication of anyone identifying me, or following me.”

“Good, good.” He heard a sigh of relief escaping her before she asked in a soft voice, “How are you, cariño?”

He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “Fine… Fine. I miss you.”

“We miss you too.”

“How is Paula? And Mariví?”

“They’re fine, we’re all fine.”

“Paula said she aced her math test?”

“She did yeah, she’s really proud.”

“As well she should be.”

“She said that trick you taught her helped.”

His heart skipped a beat hearing it, “Really?”

Raquel hummed before broaching the topic they were both circling around, “Are you excited to see Tokyo?”

He sighed heavily, “I’m so conflicted, Raquel.”

“I know. I am too… But Sergio, we knew we were living in a bubble, that real life would catch up to us sooner or later.”

She took a deep breath, “Just… See what she has to say, and we’ll take it from there. Either way, it’ll be good seeing her, no? It’s been three years.”

With Raquel suggesting it, Sergio allowed himself to recognise that it would in fact be good to see Tokyo. She, and the rest of the team, had become his friends, his family in those months spent in Toledo. He had never had many friends, had never truly felt accepted in such a large group of people before. And he cared for them deeply, even missed them at times.

“Yes, it will be.”

“And you’re coming home soon?”

“I am, yes. As soon as possible. In two days, three maximum.”

“Good.”

Raquel heard him sigh again, and couldn’t stand it. This was too heavy, too real, and she needed to lighten the mood. She would not get to speak to him again until he got back, and she refused to leave it on such a heavy note.

“Professor?”

Sergio answered hesitantly, no doubt wondering what she was up to, “Yes?”

“What are you wearing?”

“What?”

His genuine surprise at her question amused her, she loved catching him off guard. “Well, one’s clothes say a lot about a person, wouldn’t you agree?”

He laughed and she could tell he wasn’t sure where she was headed with this as he answered soberly, “Trousers, and a black shirt.”

She’d only meant to tease him to lighten the mood, but she needed to rid herself of the tension some way, and his laugh and thinking of him in a hotel room sent a familiar warmth trough her body, and a tingle surfaced in her lower abdomen. She headed to their bedroom, locking the door behind her as she hummed, “Why don’t you remove that shirt?”

“What? Raquel…”

“Sergio.” She mimicked his stern tone, earning her a chuckle, and she continued. “Go on then, remove your shirt.”

“Raquel, I don’t… I have to leave soon.”

“You said you had an hour.”

The conversation reminding her of how thrilling negotiating with him during the heist had been, and of how he hadn’t been able to resist her against his better judgement, she was getting seriously turned on, and purred as she laid down on their bed. 

“I’m just saying… I am here, alone in our bed, wearing very little clothes… And the thought of you in that hotel room, bare-chested, is making me wish I was there with you. And the thought of being there with you, is making me miss your hands on me.”

She could tell his breathing was getting heavier, and knew she had him. 

“Have I ever told you just how good your hands feel on me?”

He cleared his throat, “Uhm, no, I don’t think so…”

“Well, they do… You running your hands over my skin jolts my body alive, makes every touch electric. And it leaves me craving for more.” 

Imagining it was his fingers tracing her skin, she let her hand travel down to her underwear. “Mmmm… I’m not sure if you find this interesting, but I’m exploring a part of my body you’re particularly fond of, and I’ve discovered that the thought of you has made me rather wet.”

She heard him swallowing hard as he asked in a low voice, heavy with lust, “Really?”

Humming, she moaned as she began stroking herself. “Do you find that fact interesting, Professor?”

“I… Yes, I do. That is most certainly interesting, Inspector.”

She bit her lip, imagining him getting hard at her words. “Good. Now, tell me… What would you do to me if I was there?” 

* * *

Sergio slipped into their bedroom, careful not to wake up Raquel, removing his shirt as he walked to their bed.

Tokyo’s arrival had disrupted their family dynamic, leaving him suddenly uncomfortable around Paula and Raquel, with Tokyo’s incredulous gaze constantly watching him, observing his every interaction with them. Raquel had noticed his discomfort and after a rather awkward dinner, she had sent him off with a sigh to spend some time with Tokyo, telling him she’d spend the evening with her mother and daughter.

Luckily, he’d gotten a few minutes alone with Paula when he just got back. The girl had given him a big hug and he’d wished nothing had changed. That he was just back from an inconsequential trip, that Tokyo wasn’t waiting for him on the beach. He gave her the gift he’d gotten her, a traditional Thai wooden frog, and Paula giggled as she ran the scraper over its back, and it created a croaking sound. He’d just asked how her week had been, when Raquel came back from the beach with her mother and her nurse, Mariví evidently not having a very clear day.

Sergio hated the way he felt suddenly self-conscious around his family, hated that he snuck into their bedroom, that he hadn’t had an opportunity to spend time alone with Raquel since coming back that afternoon. He’d missed her when he was away, had looked forward to talking everything through with her, but now all he could think about was Río being tortured, of Tokyo oozing with disbelief at watching him with his family, and their quiet lives being interrupted, blown up for good. 

Learning that Helsinki too had bought a satellite phone and knowing there was a risk other members of the band were exposed, he’d made the decision of getting the gang together without talking it through with Raquel. She hadn’t seemed upset by it, but what was more, he’d already made up his mind to rescue Río, to use his brother’s plan to do it, and he had no idea how to tell Raquel, nor how to make it work.

He sat on the bed with a heavy sigh and removed his glasses, rubbing his eyes, hoping he’d be able to get some sleep and that things would make more sense the following day, knowing that hope was futile. 

They had a family, they couldn’t just leave everything behind to go rob the Bank of Spain. At the same time, he knew he couldn’t do this without Raquel with him, next to him, and he also suspected that suggesting she stay behind to take care of her mother, their daughter, and their cat would earn him a huff, raised eyebrows, and getting his balls chopped off.

He’d promised her eleven days earlier when he’d gotten the call that he would remain committed to her, that he wouldn’t get lost in himself, or close himself off from her, but he now began fearing that was exactly what was happening, what he was doing. He was entirely overwhelmed, and had no solution for this situation; he couldn’t both stay here with his family, and rescue Río from whatever hellhole he was currently being tortured in. 

There was just no way.

Her arms snaked around him, bringing him out of his reverie, and feeling her naked body against his back soothed him. He should have remembered this, how Raquel could anchor him with her touch alone. 

She pressed a kiss to his neck and whispered over his shoulder, “Don’t do that, cariño.” 

He put his glasses on the nightstand and a hand over hers, “Do what?”

“Retreat into yourself, sneak in here hoping you won’t wake me up, hoping to avoid me.”

He shook his head, “That’s not…”

She breathed him in, stating knowingly, “Yes, it is.” 

Letting one hand travel down his chest, into his boxers, stroking him and feeling him quickly getting hard, she planted a kiss to his back, to his neck, and finally one behind his ear, whispering, “I missed you, Sergio.”

“Raquel…”

She shook her head, murmuring, “We’ll talk later.”

Things were shifting, and while Raquel had faith that they could, and would, handle it together, she was still deeply affected by it all. Tokyo was in their home yet somehow acted as if she, Raquel, was the intruder, an outsider, someone who didn’t belong. Sergio was on edge, tense, and she was as well. And she’d missed him.

Murmuring in his ear, she added, “I need you.”

Being close to her again, Sergio allowed her whispered words, her lips on his neck, her fingers on his skin to finally, blissfully, tune out the noise, turn off his brain.

He removed his trousers and boxers, and she climbed over him, settling herself in his lap, her legs hooked around him. Craving to feel her softness around him and noticing she was ready for him, he quickly guided himself to her warm entrance. Groaning as she lowered herself onto him, she kept one hand around his neck, needing to be close to him, to see him. 

They moved against one another roughly, desperately, Raquel’s other hand clawing at his back, while his were on her ass, setting a quick pace. Knowing he wouldn’t last and needing her to come with him, Sergio moved one hand to rub her clit as he captured her lips and he soon felt the orgasm overtake her body. Her walls tightening around him, her fingernails digging into his back, he watched in awe as she tilted her head back and let the sweet relief wash over her. The sight of Raquel climaxing tipped him over as well and he came groaning, her name at the tip of his tongue.

They remained linked, her in his lap, his lips on her neck, her arms holding him close, until she spoke.

“I know what you’re thinking.” She kissed the side of his nose and climbed off of him, draping herself over him as he laid down.

A finger absentmindedly running up and down her arm, he asked, “You do?”

“Mmm… Your brother’s plan, against the Bank of Spain?”

His hand stopped and his breath caught in his throat, having no idea how she could’ve possibly known that. She looked up at him, and he was surprised to see not a hint of anger, doubt or distrust in her eyes, and he finally nodded. “What do you think?”

“That we can’t leave the poor boy to be tortured.” Her fingers began playing with his chest hair, “But also… apprehensive. I’m guessing it’ll be risky. Plus… I don’t want to lose this, lose us.”

“Neither do I, Raquel.”

She looked up at him again, determined. “So, let’s not. Ok?”

“Ok.”

“Ok.” She kissed him roughly, desperate to believe her own words. Settling back at his side, she buried her face in his chest as he held her close. 

“You said that plan was suicidal.”

“There’s no time to come up with a new one.” His let his fingers trace imaginary shapes on her hip, “And I think we can make it work.”

The air heavy with the realisation of what they were about to throw themselves into, Sergio planted a kiss to her hair, “Did you talk to Paula?”

“Mmm, I did… She wondered why you were acting so weird.”

A pang of guilt shot through him and he shifted on the bed. Keeping him pinned under her, Raquel kissed his chin. “Don’t. Your guilt isn’t going to help. She’s fine, just… Try and act like yourself around her. You may be the Professor to Tokyo, but to Paula, you’re just Sergio. So please, keep being the father you’ve been to her for the past year and a half.”

Overwhelmed by Raquel referring to him as Paula’s father for the first time, not a father-figure, not a step-father, but her father, he nodded, determined to follow her advice, “I will.”

“She loves that frog you got her though. Says it’s both practical and beautiful.”

Sergio chuckled, “Practical, huh?” Paula’s view on things never ceased to amaze and amuse him, and he was hit by his love for the girl, by his need to keep her safe. He squeezed Raquel tighter, grateful she told him, grateful she’d given him a daughter. “I’m glad she likes it.”

Humming as her hand began running over his chest again, Raquel suddenly chuckled, burying her face in his shoulder. “Oh. You should’ve seen Tokyo’s face when you asked Paula if she’d fed Popcorn at dinner. I swear it looked like her head was about to combust, trying to make sense of the Professor with a cat named Popcorn.”

The reminder of just how much his life had changed since meeting Raquel bringing a smile to his face, he kissed the top of her head, “Really?”

“Mmm… I told you it was funny.” Raquel gazed at him softly, caressing his cheek. “I’m really glad you’re home Sergio.”

Smiling warmly, he captured her lips and whispered against them, “I am too.”

He woke up as dawn broke, with an erection and Raquel pressing her ass to him with soft moans. He held on to her desperately as he enveloped her from behind, arms around her, and filled her repeatedly, whispering that he wouldn’t let her down, wouldn’t let their family down.

Her hands coming up to rest on his arms, she met his thrusts with low groans and let him set the pace to find his own release, content with feeling him inside her.

Once he’d come, Raquel turned in his arms, kissed him gently, repeatedly, and soon fell back to sleep, one hand on his shoulder. But Sergio was unable to stop the wheels in his head from turning furiously. He finally got up, put some clothes on, and crouched down next to Raquel, stroking her hair back gently.

As she began to stir, he whispered, “I need to clear my head Raquel…” She hummed in response and he continued, “I’m going outside for a bit.”

Opening her eyes and looking at him, Sergio could’ve sworn she could see straight into his soul, and she mumbled, “Ok.”

Needing to reassure her that he wasn’t running away from her, that he was still there with her, for them, for their family, he added, “I’ll get breakfast started afterwards.”

Raquel yawned, then smiled to let him know she got his message, and answered calmly, “Ok.”

Not able to tear himself away from her just yet, he stayed, a hand caressing her cheek. When he thought she might have fallen asleep, he added, softly, “I love you.”

Her lips curving into a small smile, she opened her eyes again to take him in, and looked serene as she let her fingers run over his beard. “Ok.”

Chuckling, he ran his thumb slowly over her bottom lip, kissed her gently, then placed a peck at the side of her nose as she hummed in contentment. He got up and headed out, closing the door behind him.

Standing on the shore, taking in the sunrise, Sergio told himself he was not going to fuck things up. He would be there for his team, but his priority now was his family. He was going to keep them safe, and he was going to act normal around them, wouldn’t allow himself to retreat into the Professor.

He was going to make Paula pancakes for breakfast, make her tell him one of her jokes, and more importantly, he was _not_ going to fuck this up.


End file.
